Category: soccer
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Can Soccer Headgear Reduce Brain Injuries?
As a 3-year-old, Patrick Grange reportedly loved to toss a soccer ball into the air and practice heading it into a goal. Grange specialized in the skill throughout high school, college and a semi-professional career. That career ended when he died from brain damage at age 29. Could soccer headgear have saved his life? Not…
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The Truth About Artificial Turf Injuries
The winter sun was shining. A morning of soccer beckoned. But the guys were butting heads. “This grass is full of gopher holes. Why can’t we play on the turf?” “Grass is so much better for my knees.” The debate about artificial turf injuries crops up again and again. And not just in my weekend…
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Do Sports Injury Genes Determine Your Fitness?
Sports injury genes could change your future. Imagine this scenario. You try to register for your hockey team as you do every year. But the league has a new policy: All players must report to a health center to get their mouths swabbed. A couple of days later, you get a call. “You’re positive for…
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Small Ball Promoted for Women’s Soccer
Does women’s soccer need a smaller, lighter ball? That’s the idea behind the Eir, offered by a new Danish company of that name. Women have a higher rate of concussion and knee injury in soccer, and Eir argues that this is because soccer balls were designed for men.
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Recognize Concussion Symptoms
Recognizing concussion symptoms may save your life. For generations, athletes took blows to the head and kept right on playing. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the game. Coaches, teammates and fans may depend on you. But getting hit again and again can permanently damage your brain. It can even kill…
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Update: Soccer Leaders Institute Concussion Rule
UPDATE: Referees may stop soccer matches for up to three minutes while the team doctor decides if a player can stay in the game in European competitions, wire services are reported on Thursday. Gianni Infantino, the secretary general of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), said the policy was approved by the organization’s executive committee…
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New Studies Show How to Prevent Hamstring Injuries
When U.S. national soccer team striker Jozy Altidore clutched his thigh and fell to the ground in the World Cup last month, physical therapist Holly Silvers thought once again of Russian hamstring exercises. No less than three other members of the team (Fabian Johnson, Matt Besler and Deandre Yedlin) reportedly suffered injuries to this muscle…
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Balance Training Reduces Ankle Injury
Knee injuries may grab the headlines more than any other type of athletic injury, perhaps because they can end an athlete’s career. But ankles get hurt more often, and these injuries can be pretty devastating, too. Many of the same exercises that we’ve discussed for knee injury prevention can help protect ankles as well. But…
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Does Soccer Heading Cause Brain Damage?
As a soccer coach, I’ve often yelled at my players to head the ball before it reaches the ground. And anyone who has watched the World Cup this year knows what a beautiful role heading plays in the game, with Robin van Persie’s goal in the Netherlands vs. Spain game a prime example. But given…
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Increasing Power and Speed for Soccer Players
If you’ve been watching the World Cup, you may have noticed that the best soccer players often go airborne. That’s been true for a number of years, as you can see in this video of the top World Cup headers. But what goes up must come down, and how you land can determine how long…
