District Soccer Resource Page

Supports and sponsors

Healthy Innovations proudly supports and sponsors local soccer teams in the Hornsby and Hills districts. We offer physiotherapy-based instruction for optimum performance, injury treatment and rehabilitation. The following resource was put together by our physiotherapists and may be used by any club to improve their season.

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Most common injuries

Fracture 50% 50%
Soft Tissue 31% 31%
Dislocation 7% 7%
Head 4% 4%
Unspecified 2% 2%
Superficial 2% 2%
Other 2% 2%
Open Wound 1% 1%
Internal Organ 1% 1%

Number of Soccer Injuries Predicted for 2016

Soccer Injuries per 1000 Hours Played

Match and Training Preparation

Warm up and play hot. A good warm up not only helps you to reduce the chance of on field injury it also improves your own game and team performance. The warm up should prepare both your mind and body for competitive play right from when the whistle blows. It needs to start easy and gradually build in intensity replicating the actions that you are about to perform in the game or practice.

Getting your body moving

Systematically move each of the different areas of your body whilst standing. Start gently and freely move your neck, shoulders, arms, back, hips, knees and ankles.

Muscle activation

Perform some simple body movements to get the blood moving around your body such as:

Bridging – eg 10 each
Straight leg raises
Squats
Alternate arm/leg raises lying face down
Single leg balance
Dynamic leg swings forwards/backwards and side to side

Dynamic warm up

Cool walks: warm up the hips, knees and ankles (opposite knee to elbow high) – Roll your weight from the heel to the ball of your foot on one leg ending in tiptoes. With the opposite leg in a high knee position and opposing arms thrust back and forward mimicking a running action
Heel kicks or butt kicks: warm up the hamstrings (running and arms)
High knee skips
Cross step behind: warm up the hips rotationally
Cross step in front: warm up the hips rotationally
Carioca: warm up the hips rotationally (alternate cross step front and cross step behind)
Side lunge slide: warm up the inner thigh – movement key: keep your chest high, both toes pointed ahead
8) Angled walking lunges: warm up the quads, hams and glutes
High step lunge to hamstring stretch: warm up hamstrings, quads and inner thigh. Movement key: try to get your elbow down to the ground to increase stretch in the hamstring
Angled bounding lunge: warming up ankles and lower body, prepping for explosive movement
Backward lunge: warm up the quads, hams and glutes
Jumping head balls
Inch worm: warm up the hamstrings and upper shoulder, chest and core

Soccer drills

These can be created by your coach or captain and should be varied each week to keep your skills fresh, to get your touch on the ball, to bond the team and to awaken your brain for play and increase your level of alertness and reaction times. The drills can be varied for each of the different player positions

Passing drills
Running
Shooting
Mini game play

After the match has been played the whole team can benefit by performing a Cool Down together. It helps the team and your own body to wind down mentally and physically following the match or session and can promote further team unity. It should comprise of a slow jog in each direction – forward, backward and sideways, followed by static stretching of all the major muscle groups used during the game. During this time start addressing any injuries sustained during play and remember to hydrate and refuel to optimise your recovery. Of course post match analysis and important celebrations need to follow.