With the Premier League underway, any inevitable injuries to players will be dealt with by Club medical teams. For the rest of us, kicking the ball around in the park, there is no such luxury.

So, what are the most common injuries you might pick up whilst playing the game? Most of the injuries are to lower limbs sustained in talking, running, shooting, twisting and turning, jumping, or landing. In addition to this, overuse can cause injury as can resuming activity on an area that is not yet fully recovered. Common injuries include:

Ankle sprain

Often occurs when running on an uneven surface or having to change direction quickly.  These movements can overstretch the stabilising ligaments and cause the ankle to roll either inward or outward.

Hamstring strain

These large powerful anterior thigh muscles give you the power or acceleration to run.  It is imperative that hamstrings are conditioned to lengthen and stretch them, otherwise they can become overloaded and tear or even rupture.

Groin strain

Strain to the inner thigh muscles (or adductors), which can occur during kicking, jumping or twisting, is also common and is prevent in the same way as a hamstring strain, by stretching.  It is also important to strengthen the adductors with lunge type exercises.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury

This hugely important stabilising ligament is located in the knee and is most often injured when the lower leg stayed planted whilst the upper leg twists.   There are degrees of ACL tear.  A full one would need surgery, but a sprain can be managed with physiotherapy and intensive rehabilitation.

Other possible injuries from football could include:

• achilles tendinopathy
• posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury
• calf strain
• torn meniscus
• shin splints
• quadriceps strain

As with all injuries, it is wise to take it easy and allow your body to rest for at least a few days.  You may also want to speak to a physiotherapist who can advise on muscle strengthening exercises to prevent recurrence.  If these conservative methods fail, you may want to consider an interventional joint injection such as those offered by The Regenerative Therapy Centre at The European Scanning Centre, Kingsley Hall, Manchester.   The range of treatments on offer means that these sorts of injuries are well catered for.  All treatments are provided only after a consultation with one of our leading MSK Consultants.