stretching before playing

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25933060

There doesn't appear to be much difference between static or dynamic stretching in highschool ages. You should warm your players up to approach working intensity but otherwise don't over-egg your warmup.

[Unregistered]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25933060

There doesn't appear to be much difference between static or dynamic stretching in highschool ages. You should warm your players up to approach working intensity but otherwise don't over-egg your warmup.

Flexibility is a big issue in youth soccer.

My son had back pain at U14 level. Was in significant pain after games. Went through the typical process (primary care visit, X-ray, etc). Found a fracture in his lower back. Referred to a back specialist at Boston Children's. The doc at Children's was great...knew all about youth soccer (i think his kid played for one of the bigger clubs) and the lack of stretching and flexibility. My son had to wear a large back brace to immobilize his upper body for six months...along with physical therapy. It's called Spondylolysis and the thought is that repetitive motion (kicking) with a lack of flexibility at a stage of physical growth combine to create this problem). My son is now 100%...but it was painful for him and it was a long recovery process. It's also expensive (back brace wasn't fully covered $900 and months of physical therapy that was only 60% covered).

I've written other posts about this and the main reason I am writing is to bring awareness so that others don't have to go through what we went through (after talking to other soccer parents it is somewhat common).

Daily foam roller stretching combined with core strengthening is the answer. It's more common than you think. I'm trying to scare you in to taking these extra steps.

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Pffffttt. I rarely stretched before playing. Hop out of the car, lace up my boots and get after it.

Of course, I've suffered from lower back pain and debilitating foot injuries over the years, so maybe there's something to it.....

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We do static with dynamic stretching only because we're used to it. can't hurt.

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A couple of beers before the game work wonders at keeping you loose. Stretches are for wusses and minors.

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A couple of beers before the game work wonders at keeping you loose. Stretches are for wusses and minors.

loose in the head tight everywhere else lol

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one word

Yoga.....hot yoga....hot power yoga.....OK 6 words

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BU14 player spent the last year dealing with Sever's Disease, a calf strain, achilles tendonitis; you name it. All caused by tightness. Specifically hamstrings. He grew 4 inches this past year. 3 the year before that.

It's all kid dependent. Stretching, multiple times daily, is keeping him in the game. He still gets muscle soreness and shin splints. But he can play.

Some kids don't grow as fast or get as tight.

I say stretching can't hurt, so long as it's done correctly. Dynamic stretches when cold. Static stretches after activity.

[Unregistered]

All the reason to look seriously at performance training starting in grammar school. Know it sounds nuts to be thinking about that sort of thing at those ages but kids don’t go out and play today like they did in earlier generations nor do they get any consistent PE in schools any more so you can literally roll up to a middle school age soccer practice and clearly see all of the ramifications on display. It’s really sad how unathletic this generation of kid is. What happens now that many parents don’t recognize until it’s too late is that when youth soccer really ramps up the intensity coming out of grammar school all the kid’s bodies start breaking down because they haven’t been conditioned properly for the work load. The result is in some families the medical bills attributable to soccer outweigh even the travel expenses. A $100 a week on a decent S&C program ends up looking like a bargain relative to an ACL repair or some other significant injury.

[Unregistered]

on another fitness note!
My daughter got slower and was not the same player in college. Why? Lifting heavy weights!
Squats! Dead lifts! Her back has never been the same!
Your thoughts?

[Unregistered]

on another fitness note!
My daughter got slower and was not the same player in college. Why? Lifting heavy weights!
Squats! Dead lifts! Her back has never been the same!
Your thoughts?

I bet she has those "Thunder Thighs" right now..

[Unregistered]

I bet she has those "Thunder Thighs" right now..

YUP !!! and not Happy with them!

[Unregistered]

Lifting heavy weights...12 ounces at a time....

[Unregistered]

All the reason to look seriously at performance training starting in grammar school. Know it sounds nuts to be thinking about that sort of thing at those ages but kids don’t go out and play today like they did in earlier generations nor do they get any consistent PE in schools any more so you can literally roll up to a middle school age soccer practice and clearly see all of the ramifications on display. It’s really sad how unathletic this generation of kid is. What happens now that many parents don’t recognize until it’s too late is that when youth soccer really ramps up the intensity coming out of grammar school all the kid’s bodies start breaking down because they haven’t been conditioned properly for the work load. The result is in some families the medical bills attributable to soccer outweigh even the travel expenses. A $100 a week on a decent S&C program ends up looking like a bargain relative to an ACL repair or some other significant injury.

I agree, but to a certain extent only. A parent has to be careful regarding " training" of the child's body. It is far different than training as an adult. Regarding my own children, I used many conventional and unconventional methods to keep them fit and healthy for athletic competition. Their " training " actually started at around age 6 . All were able to avoid major injuries despite many years of participation.