World Cup highlights injury problems

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Soccer is not the worst sport for causing injuries and the knee is a particular problem say the experts.
Even if your team doesn't get to the next stage, the football World Cup might have inspired you to take more exercise. Researchers at Loyola University Health System put soccer - as it's known in the US - as the number four sport leading to problems treated in the emergency room.

Basketball causes nearly three times as many injuries as soccer and, indeed, it is the number one sport for injury. One of the most common issues is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury, where there is damage to the ligament joining the front of the lower leg to the back of the upper leg. The ligament is used when you bend your knee, jump or squat - common in many sports.

Seventy per cent of ACL problems are non-contact, occurring when the person twists, jumps or stops suddenly - common in all the major sports. Women are more prone to these problems than men are, because they tend to land from a jump with their legs locked, which puts pressure on the knee. But it is possible to avoid ACL by bending your knees when shooting and also keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and eyes forward. Watch the good players and learn from them how to position your body.

Source
Loyola University Health System 14th June 2006

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