Have you had several consecutive injuries?  Are they a result of a gradual or progressive onset versus trauma (i.e. a tackle or collision)?  Do you, as my partner Alex McKechnie used to remark, “look like a Ferrari but run like a Fiat”?

If you have answered “yes” to one or all of the above, you may only be addressing part of the problem if you are only treating the injured area.  In other words, you may be treating the injury or “effect”, but may not have addressed the root cause of the tissue breakdown.

In some of these situations there may be silent culprits hiding in your biomechanics or movement patterns that are contributing factors in these repeated injuries.  You can keep treating the injured areas, but these areas are the victims and you are merely chasing shadows. If you are aware of these possibilities, you can ensure that your health care provider has addressed all the relevant factors.

 After asking you detailed questions about the onset of the injury, you should undergo a detailed musculoskeletal or biomechanical assessment. Your health care provider should be versed in or investigate the demands of soccer, and relate these demands to your specific injury.  Ask that they explain to you why these injuries keep recurring.  If you don’t take an active approach with your injuries, who will?  In these situations, the most valuable “treatment” you can receive is not the ultrasound or laser, but the empowerment through education and guidance to fix yourself.