Footy Fever

Kids are dashing back onto football fields and the AFL, NRL and Super Rugby seasons are kicking off this month. We at The Podiatrist are all ready with our footy tipping which we’re very passionate about it – especially me, as I won it last year and placed the year before!

  • I remember spending countless lunchtimes at high-school playing tackle rugby and loving it. I was fortunate to not have received any injuries (except for a concussion after making a tackle), however my brother played rugby for some school tournaments and sustained various injuries – which our mum wasn’t thrilled about. While all sports can cause injury, the incidence in contact sports such as rugby is that little bit higher, meaning we’ve got to be that little bit more careful. Below is some advice and methods to reduce these injuries – and so all those footy mums out there can have a greater piece of mind!

Common Injuries

Common AFL and NRL lower limb injuries include:

  • Hamstring tears
  • Muscular strains & sprains; and
  • Contusions (bruising)

    Some footy and soccer boots have a stud that may push up under the ball of the foot of the foot at the 1st and 5th toes that can lead to pain and conditions such as capsulitis, bursitis, and sesamoiditis – to name a few.

 footy and soccer boots

Injuries can arise more in athletes that don’t warm up, have structural problems or abnormalities with their feet and legs, have a poor running technique, or leave insufficient recovery time between activities.

Warming Up

Warming up can make connective tissues more supple, increase blood flow to muscles for increased performance, prevent injuries and prepare individuals mentally so they respond faster.

A warm up for AFL and rugby athletes focusing on the lower limbs should include:

  • A skips
  • B skips
  • High knees
  • Forward and lateral leg swings
  • Calf presses
  • Lunges
  • Hamstring stretches
  • Squats
  • Side steps
  • Carioca
  • Bum kicks
  • Cooling Down

After exercise, it is vital to cool down by doing some light activity like walking, slow jogging or easy swimming and some static stretching on the muscles that were used.

Cooling down lowers the heart rate, body temperature and breathing rate back to normal and prevents dizziness or fainting. Cooling down also removes waste products like lactic acid buildup during activity, and reduces muscle soreness and stiffness.

 footy fever

We at the Podiatrist Toowoomba can suggest strength, proprioception and conditioning exercises, work to improve your running technique, treat injuries and suggest useful recovery methods. So don’t “PASS”on the opportunity to get a check-up to be ready for and dominate the footy field!

About The Author

Jays Maganlal

Jays Maganlal
Qualifications
B.Hlth.Sci.(POD)Hons.M.A.POD.A

Podiatrist

Jays joined our team of Podiatrists in November 2012. Having worked in two podiatry practices in Brisbane, he brings a wealth of knowledge to our clinic. Jays is a very dedicated podiatrist and goes the extra mile to ensure that his patients have the best care possible.

His passion for podiatry is based on his wanting to help patients achieve their goals. He enjoys all aspects of podiatry and loves to see his patients happy.

Outside of work, Jays enjoys basketball and short distance running. Jays favorite sport to watch on TV is the Tour de France.

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