Women’s football: Common injuries and how to reduce your risk of injury, Egham and Woking

Football is one of the most played sports around the world. It is a sport for people of all ages and abilities from elite level athletes to pre-schoolers to Sunday league.

With huge success in recent years, with The Lionesses winning Euro 2025 and Euro 2022 for England, Women’s football has seen a remarkable surge in participation in recent years. In the UK, the number of women and girls playing football has risen by around 56% since 2020, with over 50,000 additional girls under 18 picking up the sport. Thousands of new teams have formed, school access has expanded dramatically, and recreational sessions for women are popping up across the country, creating a more inclusive and accessible game for players at every level.

Why play football?

• Social: Football is a team sport and involves communication. It is a great way to meet new people and find like-minded friends.
• Physical fitness: Football is a full body workout. It helps improve cardiovascular fitness and helps promote an active lifestyle.
• Mental health benefits: Football can give you time away from day-to-day stress and helps release endorphins that can help reduce anxiety and stress.
• Opportunities: Joining a team now can open endless new opportunities and pathways down the line.

Injuries in football:

With the sudden surge in female participation in football, we must consider the risk factors that can come with playing and the likelihood of dreaded injuries. Research has found that Elite female footballers sustain 6.1 injuries per 1,000 hours of exposure.

Common Injuries:

• Ankle Sprains and Strains: Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in football, caused by sudden changes in direction or contact with an opposing player.
  • Symptoms: Swelling, bruising, pain when walking, and difficulty moving the foot. 
  • Prevention: Strengthening exercises, proper footwear, and warm-ups.

•  Hamstring Strains: Hamstring injuries are prevalent, especially when players accelerate or decelerate quickly.
  • Symptoms: Sharp pain in the back of the thigh, muscle tightness, and difficulty running. 
  • Prevention: Stretching, proper warm-up, and hamstring strengthening exercises.

• Tendinopathies (Achilles and Patella): Repeated stress on the tendons, particularly in the lower legs, can lead to tendinopathies.
  • Symptoms: Pain, swelling, and tenderness around the affected tendon. 
  • Prevention: Stretching, strengthening, and avoiding overuse.

• Concussions: Head injuries in football, particularly concussions, have gained significant attention due to their long-term effects.
  • Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and sensitivity to light or noise. 
  • Prevention: Awareness of tackling techniques and enforcing safety protocols.

• Knee Injuries (ACL and MCL Tears): Knee injuries, particularly ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) tears, are serious and often require prolonged recovery time. Female footballers are 3-6x more likely to suffer ACL injuries compared to their male counterparts. Ongoing research is looking into why this is, and many different factors have been identified so far; Hormonal changes, Anatomical differences (wider pelvis, increased Q- angle), Muscle strength imbalances and environmental factors (Pitch quality, playing surfaces, improper footwear). 
  • Symptoms: Popping sound, swelling, instability, and difficulty bearing weight.
  • Prevention: Proper technique during cutting or pivoting, strength, and neuromuscular control training.

Preventative Measures to help reduce risk of injury and help with recovery:

Whether you are a recreational athlete or an elite athlete there are many things that you can do to help reduce your risk of injury.

• Proper Warm-ups and Cool-downs: Preparing your body for training sessions or match day is important. A thorough warmup and cool down consisting of mobility and stretching exercises.
• Understanding common injuries: the list of common injuries is long, however understanding what the common injuries are can then help with reduction and recovery.
• Strength Training: Incorporating strength exercises to improve muscle stability, capacity, and power. The stronger you can be the better you can protect yourself from injury.
• Hydration and Nutrition: Proper diet and hydration can also aid recovery and performance.
• Rest and Recovery: Overtraining is a major risk for injuries, so adequate recovery time and rest is key in between training and matches.

If you are a footballer and are struggling with any aches, pains, or injuries from football then here at Synergy we are keen to help get you back to playing at your best. Do not wait, give us a call now and book an appointment with one of our Physios so they can assess your problem or on the other hand if you are struggling with increased muscle tightness then book in with one of our Sports massage therapists. Book an appointment online.