Consistently ranking among the five most popular sports for youth and adolescent athletes, soccer attracts millions of participants in the U.S. The sports medicine team at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics has important information for athletes and their parents on ways to play it safe—so soccer can remain a fun and healthy athletic activity for young people, regardless of their performance level.

While soccer does not require the same protective equipment as American football, that does not mean it is a game devoid of physicality and potential injury. In fact, orthopedic injuries are common, just as they are in other sports that involve dynamic body movements at a high rate of speed.

For example, a variety of knee injuries can occur in youth soccer, including:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears: The ACL helps stabilize the knee joint.
• Meniscus tears: The meniscus is cartilage that acts as a cushion between the knee joint bones.
• Patellar tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone.

Other common soccer injuries include:

• Ankle sprains: These occur when the ligaments that support the ankle are stretched or torn. Symptoms include pain, swelling and bruising around the injured ankle and foot.
• Shin splints: Caused by inflammation of the muscles and tendons in the shinbone, the result can be debilitating pain in the front part of the lower leg.
• Concussion: Traumatic brain injuries that can be the result of “heading” the soccer ball. Players under age 11 are discouraged from heading the ball.

Read: Can I Treat My Child's Injury at Home?

Fortunately, there are safety measures parents and coaches can take to help reduce injury risk for athletes at every age and level of soccer play.

First and foremost, anyone who plays soccer should invest in well-fitting cleats and shin guards. This might seem like a no-brainer, but orthopedic injuries often occur due to ill-fitting sports safety gear.

Coaches who are trained in proper safety procedures can be an extra set of eyes and ears for an athlete on the field, and young soccer players should heed their instructions. The coach can increase their players’ awareness of their surroundings—including other players and the ball—and help avoid injury hazards.

Additionally, coaches should instruct players on proper warmup and cooldown techniques before and after games and practices. Some athletes may take these for granted, but they are important and can make a significant difference in ensuring the body is well-prepared for the strenuous exertion required in soccer.

It’s essential, for example, to incorporate an ACL injury prevention warmup protocol. The widely used FIFA 11+ program for soccer injury prevention has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of injury among soccer players.

While it may not seem like a strategy for orthopedic injury prevention, proper hydration makes a safety difference for young soccer players. Dehydration causes the muscles and ligaments in the body to be less agile, which increases the risk of injury. Athletes should always drink plenty of water before, during and after games and practices to ensure they are well-hydrated.

By encouraging these safety tips, parents can help ensure their children have a safe and enjoyable experience playing soccer.