Are all soccer cleats created equally?
Unless your child is playing on a wet field with high grass, and needs the added traction, avoid soccer shoes with screw-in cleats. These cleats lead to a higher rate of injury, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Molded soccer cleats or ribbed soles are kinder to children's growing bodies.
back to top At what age can my child begin to play soccer?
Even though your child may kick a soccer ball in his or her playpen like a pro, most organized programs for the physically demanding sport do not begin until children turn four or five years of age.
back to top How common are injuries among children who play soccer?
Each year, medical professionals treat more than 227,000 injuries related to soccer among
children 15 and younger, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Treating these injuries cost $2.9 billion in 1998, a price tag that includes medical and legal expenses. Because it is among the fastest-growing team sports in the nation, experts expect the injury costs to escalate.
back to top Is there anything my child can do to reduce the chance of being injured playing soccer?
Some factors are outside of your child's control, but fall within areas in which you can exert influence as a parent. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests that fields be watered and that holes be filled and reseeded. Also, check to see that soccer goals are properly secured and well-padded to reduce the risk of head injuries. If fields are wet, suggest a synthetic soccer ball be used. Leather soccer balls can be harder on your child's body because the leather gets heavier as it soaks up water. Ensure your child wears shin guards to protect the lower legs. Because even the most fit children can end up in the doctor's office through a chance twist or turn, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons also recommends that youths who play soccer routinely perform various exercises to strengthen the parts of their bodies most susceptible to injury: side lunges to build lower-leg strength and ward off ankle injuries, quadricep stretches and hamstring stretches to strengthen the legs and to guard against knee sprains, butterfly stretches prior to the game to prevent groin strains.
back to top I've heard a lot about possible injuries by "heading" soccer balls. Should I worry?
A direct hit from a full-sized, plastic-coated soccer ball kicked by an adult can carry the equivalent force of a boxer's punch, according to researchers. A small number of studies, including one published last fall in The Journal of the American Medical Association, have shown that adult soccer players are more likely to have mild problems with memory and planning than athletes in non-impact sports. But no study yet shows that difficulty in the lab represents difficulty in real life or that impacts are the same among children as adults.
back to top What are the most common injuries among children who play soccer?
Ankle injuries, knee sprains, groin sprains, head injuries, cuts and scrapes are among the most common injuries among soccer players that require some level of medical attention, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Of 77,540 children age 5 to 14 who were treated by emergency-room workers in 1998 for soccer-related injuries, nearly 12,000 complained of ankle problems (the No. 1 injury reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). Following ankle sprains, soccer-playing children also were treated for injured fingers, wrists, knees and lower arms, according to the CPSC's annual emergency room survey.
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