Training to Prevent ACL Injuries in Soccer

Soccer is enjoyed both competitively and recreationally by all ages. Participation in any sport however can potentially lead to injury. Injury to the ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is a common injury to those participating in soccer. Rehabilitation and treatment following an ACL injury is costly and will most likely result in significant loss in playing time for the athlete. Injury or rupture of the ACL can occur during contact or non-contact situations such as running and jumping. During running, injury most often occurs with quick directional changes, rapid decelerations and torsional or rotational movements. The landing phase of jumping with varus (outward) and valgus (inward) stresses at the knee accompanied by rotation also stress the ACL and can possibly result in injury. In an effort to decrease the incidence of ACL injuries, a preventative training program should include neuromuscular training. Traditional lower extremity strengthening programs have utilized machines to exercise the quads and hamstrings. These programs do little to improve dynamic strength and stability which are very important in knee joint control on the soccer field. Neuromuscular training involves challenging the proprioceptive system via various balance and stability activities. Through neuromuscular training, dynamic joint stability can be improved and hopefully decrease injury.

Neuromuscular control or stability relies upon the proprioceptive system. This system consists of proprioceptors or sensory receptors within the ACL and the other soft tissue structures within and around the knee joint. These receptors are located throughout or body and provide our brain with information of position sense and joint stresses so that our muscles may respond appropriately and protect our bodies from injury. A neuromuscular training program typically consists of balance exercises on the involved limb, dynamic joint stability exercises, plyometric exercises, agility drills and sports specific exercises. Balance training may include double or single leg stance on flat surfaces, a wobble board or even a trampoline. Dynamic joint stability training involves controlled balance movements such as lunges, balanced reaching activities with the upper or lower extremities, step-up and step-down exercises, squatting with or without weights on different surfaces and single leg squats. Plyometric or jump training involves quick and powerful movement involving pre-stretching of the muscle to produce a stronger muscular contraction. An example of a plyometric activity would involve jumping off of a box and then exploding up and over another obstacle. These exercises help to facilitate quick directional changes and control in landing and jumping activities. Jumping exercises using plyometric training might include two and one legged jumping on a trampoline, 180? turning jumps and vertical jumps.

Sports specific skills training activities include running, lateral running, backward running, shuttle runs and agility drills. Agility activities may include figure 8 running, quick directional changes which are not preplanned but rather directed by a coach or trainer, passing, kicking and throwing activities.

The training program should include enough exercise to induce muscular fatigue for the athlete and train the appropriate muscular responses. Proprioceptive deterioration can increase with muscle fatigue; therefore the training program needs to include enough repetitions to create some fatigue in the athlete. The training should also be performed throughout the ROM of the joint to stimulate and train different receptors at different angles of joint motion.

Beth Bartels is a Physical Therapist at Excel Physical Therapy in Nebraska. You can learn more about this topic and others by signing up for the FREE newsletter at www.excelpt.com

Soccer Technique: How To Kick The Ball

Kicking

There are many different ways of kicking the ball. In order to kick the ball to the direction that we want, it requires high level of skills. Kicking methods can be divided as follows;

Kick the ball by using foot instep

When using foot instep to kick, make sure that the foot you use be fully bent downward and the foot instep should fully touch the ball. Once the foot touch the ball, the ball have to skim to the ground. Importantly when you kick the ball, if position if the knee is too much lean forward to the ball?s position, the direction of the ball will heading down, and then touch the ground before it reach target, which effect to the ball speed. On the other hand, if the knee is too much lean backward to the ball?s position when kicking, the ball will rise up and not go to the desired direction. Therefore, you have to make sure that the knee is in the right direction, not too forward and backward. The foot that not use for kick, put it beside the ball and make sure it is away form the ball around 4-12 inches. Focus on the ball all the time you are kicking.

Run and kick

Run and kick is often use during the game and this method of kicking is quite difficult to do as you seem to have no time to do the kick exactly as instructions. However, The right position when you have to kick while you are running, make sure that you are close to the ball as much as possible. Put the standing foot beside the ball and bend down your knee a little bit, your shoulders and head slightly lean forward. Swing the leg that use for kick fully stretch. Your head should bend down until you kick the ball completely, and always focus on the target that you want to kick to ball to.

Kick the ball by using inside of the foot

This figure is the simplest method to kick the ball, often used when we need to pass the ball to others, because by using this method, you can control the direction of the ball completely and it has the most accuracy. To do this figure, bend down both of your knees a bit when kicking and push the kicking leg follow through after touch the ball.

Kick the ball by using heel

This method of kicking mostly used for trick the person who try to snatch the ball from you and this method is very simple. Firstly, you have to step or jump over the ball, pretending you want to carry the ball forward, then immediately use the heel to punch the ball, pass it to the back direction. This figure require a bit of skills and accuracy when you use heel to kick the ball, because at a time of kicking the ball will be at your back and will not be able to see it. So you need to estimate about the ball?s position in order to kick it correctly.

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The Soccer Ball - An Ageless Entertainment

It is said that thousands of years ago, South American Indians already kicked an elasticized ball for fun. They used things such as heads, skulls, stitched up cloth and pig or cow bladders. The Chinese played "tsu chu" where animal skin balls were dribbled through gaps in a net stretched between two poles. The actual soccer ball only came after a few thousand years. Ancient Egyptian rites are said to have similarities with soccer, and both the ancient Greeks and Romans also played a game that entailed carrying and kicking a ball.

The more irregular the bladders used as balls were, the more unpredictable was its behavior. After Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber, he designed the first rubber soccer ball (football). It was only in the twentieth century that rubber bladders were began to be used in most balls. In 1862 Lindon developed one of the first rubber bladders for balls, probably inspired because of the ill effects of blowing animal bladders, after his wife died of lung disease.

The soccer ball is an air filled sphere with a circumference of 68-70 cm, weight 210-250 g, covered in leather or other suitable material. Most of the modern balls are stitched with 32 panels of water proof leather or plastic and the colors are usually black and white. Over the years balls have become lighter. Older Balls were usually stitched with 18 oblong leather panels. The problem is that these balls were very heavy. Though in the last world cup in 2006 the ball is stitched with 14 panels and the colour isn't the usual black and white. By reducing the amount of panels used the more accurate a shot with that ball will be, because with the fewer the amount of panels the more perfect the circumference becomes.

The black and white colors on the soccer ball were defined so that it could be seen better on monochrome televisions, but in cases like playing in the snow the soccer balls have different colours such as yellow or orange. The soccer ball used in the World Cup 2006 final is golden with white and black details. Some soccer ball brands are developing new technologies such as using foam as part of the composition of the ball or even having rings so that goalkeepers can determine the spin of the ball.

Nowadays there are many brands that make soccer balls, amongst which are the famous ones such as Adidas, Nike, Mitre, etc. About 80% of the association soccer balls are made in Pakistan, and 75% of these are made in the city of Sialkot.

As soccer is the most popular sport in the world you can find a soccer ball almost in every place on the planet. It doesn't matter if it's called football, soccer, fussball, futebol or f?tbol, one will always find some soccer ball being kicked around, even in countries were the sport isn't as popular as in Brazil, Argentina, England, or Germany. Soccer balls are even used in peace campaigns, with special games as on with team with players from Palestine and Israel, playing side by side in a same team united by the same soccer ball.

Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer ball pages.

Soccer Trainers - Teaching Defensive Skills

Teaching the defensive skills to the players is not an easy thing to do for soccer trainers because players like the offensive ideas and practice. Learning the defensive skills and techniques may not be as fun and engaging for the players.

But, it is the duty of the coach to let the players be aware of the importance of the defensive techniques in a soccer game. The offensive techniques are good to attack, but until and unless you have good defensive skills, it is very unlikely that you will get the desired success in the game.

You may be good at shooting and scoring goals, but if you lack the defensive skills, you simply give the opponent team an easy opportunity to settle the accounts with you. Therefore, be smart.

Moving Quickly Within A Short Distance

This is perhaps the most important defensive technique. The coach must train their players to move quickly within a short distance ? to their left and right. In order to do this, the players need to push off rapidly on the alternate foot.

The players must be ready at all times and as soon as they get an opportunity, they need to be quick enough to steal the ball, take the position and turn the tide in their favor.

Keep Yourself Between The Ball And The Goal

When the ball is in the possession of an opponent player, you need to have an eye on the ball and the player with the possession of the ball. As an expert defender, it is very important for you to keep yourself between the ball and the goal as a strong wall. Remember, there are two tasks assigned to a defender ? first, to save the goal and second, to steal the ball or both simultaneously.

Tackling Techniques

Tackling techniques are also an impotent component to acquire the desired defensive skills. In this regard, the players must keep in mind the following.

? If you are making an attempt to tackle the ball somewhere near the midfield, you must make sure that you are having a backup from a fellow player.

? Most importantly, players must go for the ball and not for the player. Keep your eyes on the ball. Look for an opportunity to steal the same, and as soon as you get it, you must be quick enough to turn the opportunity into the possession of the ball.

Soccer trainers have to teach the players lot many things and defensive techniques are just one of them.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer trainers. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.