| It does not matter if you are a girl or a boy, old or | | | | and muscle spasms, among others. Ankle sprains or |
| young --- Football is a sport for everyone. In some | | | | strains are often experienced when there is uneven |
| European countries, almost every school has a | | | | terrain, or a poorly executed technique. The right |
| football team of their own. Football is a popular sport | | | | footwear is essential in avoiding this, and a brace |
| among teenagers, all of whom were probably inspired | | | | could also provide extra resistance. Knee pain during a |
| by their idols in the international football teams. | | | | football game can be caused by poor and improper |
| Football's growing popularity is best exemplified by its | | | | technique, absence of conditioning and lack of |
| "ambassador" --- David Beckham, a popular (and | | | | flexibility. It is important to have suitable training to |
| gorgeous!) football player whose advertisement | | | | avoid overuse, and such aspects in bio-mechanics like |
| billboards can be seen almost everywhere. He is like | | | | flat feet or high arches give out more knee pain. In |
| the looked upon as the "epitome" of a football player | | | | playing football, for example, knee pain is the result |
| since he is the best there is. In England, for example, | | | | of an injury, like a ruptured ligament or a torn |
| they have Manchester United as being the most | | | | cartilage. Lower back pain is common among those |
| popular football club there is, with almost 50 million | | | | older and less active, since they lose the strength |
| supporters worldwide. | | | | and balance in the muscles (abs and lower back), |
| Football, also called as soccer, is a team sport | | | | leading to bad posture. Elbow pain is mostly |
| wherein two teams go against each other to score a | | | | experienced by people playing tennis or golf, but |
| winning goal for their team. Eleven players are | | | | anyone can develop elbow pain. Shoulder injuries are |
| included in a team, and the sport is played in a | | | | often seen in throwing sports like baseball, or other |
| rectangular grass field. The goalkeeper is one | | | | track and field games. Muscle spasms are |
| member of the team that guards their respective | | | | experienced when there is tightness in any particular |
| goal, and the only one who can use their hands or | | | | muscle area, and more often than not, can be painful. |
| arms to prevent the ball from reaching the goal. All | | | | Football players usually have this kind of problem in |
| the other players use their feet in kicking the ball, and | | | | their leg areas, where they usually stretch out their |
| is also using their torso and head for mid air passes. | | | | feet to kick the ball. A spasm is an unexpected |
| Of course, in every physical game we play, there is | | | | contraction of the muscle, and is felt on the neck, |
| always a possibility of having an injury within the | | | | back, shoulder, or legs. Muscle spasms can be |
| team. In football and in any other games that require | | | | avoided by football players using good and proper |
| physical strength, they are trained to do stretching | | | | stretching techniques, most especially in their leg |
| and pre-game exercises, prior to playing the game. | | | | areas. |
| But in some cases, other players may not get to | | | | Playing football is fun and fulfilling for football players |
| stretch certain parts of their bodies properly, and | | | | and even sijmple spectators of the sport |
| while during the game, they may be injured due | | | | everywhere. Still, it is important to know the safety |
| several factors. | | | | and health conditions of the players before playing, to |
| Usual injuries in this kind of sport, or in any other | | | | avoid such injuries that might lead to more serious |
| physical sports include ankle sprains and strains, knee | | | | problems in the future. |
| pain, lower back pain, elbow pain, shoulder injuries, | | | | |