World Cup soccer (football) and common foot injuries
Amongst the three host nations of the FIFA World Cup tournament, it’s Canada that has surprised the world with its level of support, and (at time of writing) success! The national team have competed in three World Cups (1986, 2022, and 2026), and until this year had only two goals to their name. The 6-0 victory against Qatar changed all that. Les Rouges stormed their way to a stunning win, thanks in no small part to the presence of both home-based players and Canadians playing for leading European teams including Juventus, Porto, Bayern Munich and Marseille.
Canadian heroes
On reaching the final 16, national team coach Jesse Marsch called his team “Canadian heroes,” telling them:
“The future of the sport in this country is huge because of you.”
Captain Alphonso Davies also appreciated the support from Canadian fans at their World Cup match against South Africa.
“It was surreal because I’ve never seen so many Canadians at a football match before. It brought tears to my eyes.” (1)
Injury Time
However, the team have not been immune to the range of injuries that can affect players in any major football tournament. Davies himself started the tournament still recovering from a hamstring injury which happened weeks ago. Midfielder Ismael Kone was carried off with a broken leg in the Qatar game. Indeed, a headline in The New York Times asked “Does Canada have the World Cup’s busiest medical team?”
Probably not, but as professional footballers know to their cost, injuries from over-stretching, twisting, and lower limb impact with other players are all too frequent. An ankle, foot or ligament injury can take them out of the game for weeks. So, if you’re tempted to start playing ‘the beautiful game’, start gently and gradually work up your skills and fitness levels first. Warm up before any game and make sure you are wearing supportive football boots that allow you to twist and turn on grass or artificial surfaces.
Three most common football-related injuries
The three most common problems we see in our footcare clinics amongst soccer/football players at all levels are:
• Sprained ankles (Lateral ligament injury)
Football can be fast a furious with sprints and sudden changes of direction. If the foot turns inwards too far due to a as a result of a misstep or as you tackle, the outer (lateral) ligament is overstretched, resulting in an ankle sprain. If your foot was flexed at the time of injury, the strain can be worse. If the ligament tears, that’s a severe sprain.
If you sprain your ankle, call for an appointment at one of our Ontario foot clinics so we can assess the severity of your sprain and implement the appropriate treatments as soon as possible. The faster we can start treatment, the better!i In the meantime, ice the foot every 2 or 3 hours to reduce the swelling. Raise your foot (above heart level whenever possible), and when you have to move, keep weight off your ankle by using a stick or crutch.
Rehabilitation is key after any ankle injury. Don’t feel tempted to rush back onto the football field, as you simply risk getting injured again. At Hunt Footcare, our team will create a personalised treatment and rehabilitation plan to put you on the road to recovery without risking future injuries.
• Achilles tendon injuries (Achilles tendonitis)
Your Achilles tendon works hard when you’re playing football, repeating movements throughout a 90mins game. It’s these repetitive movements that can cause Achilles tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon). You may feel pain and swelling around the tendoachilles area, which is often worse in the morning, and after exercise. You may also notice some thickening over the affected area which may make your footwear feel tight.
An inflamed or strained Achilles tendon can often be treated with RICE techniques and regular physiotherapy. However, persistent inflammation and/or slow recovery can be helped with other treatments include shockwave therapy (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), which we offer at our Ontario foot clinics. (For more on ESWT, see our blog: Shockwave Therapy for Heel Pain)
If you have a persistent Achilles tendon injury, come and see us at one of our three footcare clinics.
clinics.
• Achilles tendon rupture
Your Achilles tendon can rupture (detach) when playing due to a sudden, forceful pivot, sharp turn or when jumping. iI it happens, you’ll feel a sudden pain, a loud crack or ‘pop’ sound, and it feels as if you have been kicked hard in your calf. There might be rapid swelling, bruising, and you will usually be unable to stand on your toes.
If you suspect you have an Achilles rupture, stop moving immediately, do not walk on it (even if you feel you can), and seek immediate medical help and/or us for an urgent appointment.
Sports injuries and rehabilitation
We can help you with your recovery from all kinds of sports-related injuries to your feet and ankles. Patients also come to us with existing injuries that are not getting better, or their recovery is slower than expected. Call us at Hunt Footcare to make an appointment and we’ll create a personalised treatment and recovery plan to get you back on your feet and back to the sports you enjoy.
REFERENCES:
(1) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvg4pen8xq7o
