Foot & Ankle Injuries in Soccer: Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Why Are Foot & Ankle Injuries So Common in Soccer?

Soccer is an explosive, high-intensity sport that demands constant acceleration, deceleration, rapid direction changes, kicking, and jumping. These repetitive stresses make the foot and ankle joints highly vulnerable to injury.

When the foot lands incorrectly or absorbs too much force, ligaments, tendons, and bones can become strained, sprained, or even fractured. Soccer players who don’t address movement imbalances, strength deficits, or improper biomechanics are at a higher risk of injury and re-injury.

Dr Nat (Osteopath) functionally accessing soccer player with ankle injury.

Common Foot & Ankle Injuries in Soccer

1. Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are one of the most frequent injuries in soccer. They occur when the foot rolls inward or outward, stretching or tearing the ligaments.

Symptoms:
✔️ Swelling and bruising around the ankle
✔️ Difficulty walking or bearing weight
✔️ Instability in the joint

Treatment:
🔹 Manual therapy to restore joint mobility
🔹 Strength training for foot and ankle stabilisers
🔹 Proprioceptive exercises to improve balance and prevent recurrence

2. Achilles Tendinitis

The Achilles tendon is crucial for running, jumping, and quick movements. Repetitive stress can lead to inflammation, stiffness, and pain at the back of the ankle.

Symptoms:
✔️ Tightness or pain in the Achilles, especially in the morning
✔️ Pain during sprinting or kicking
✔️ Swelling along the tendon

Treatment:
🔹 Functional Manual Reaction (FMR) to mobilise restricted tissue
🔹 Strength training focused on eccentric loading to improve tendon resilience
🔹 Gait retraining to optimise force absorption

3. Stress Fractures

Overuse and excessive impact can lead to tiny cracks in the bones of the foot, especially in the metatarsals (long bones of the foot).

Symptoms:
✔️ Gradual onset of localised pain
✔️ Pain worsens with activity and improves with rest
✔️ Swelling over the affected area

Treatment:
🔹 Reducing load while maintaining conditioning through cross-training
🔹 Strengthening hip, knee, and ankle stabilisers to reduce impact stress
🔹 Custom rehab plan to safely return to play

4. Plantar Fasciitis

Inflammation of the plantar fascia (the tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot) is common in soccer players due to excessive running and improper foot mechanics.

Symptoms:
✔️ Sharp heel pain, especially in the morning
✔️ Pain that worsens after prolonged standing or running
✔️ Tightness in the arch of the foot

Treatment:
🔹 Manual therapy and soft tissue release
🔹 Strengthening foot intrinsic muscles for better arch support
🔹 Functional gait analysis to correct movement dysfunction

5. Turf Toe

Turf toe is a sprain of the ligaments in the big toe, usually caused by forceful hyperextension.

Symptoms:
✔️ Swelling and pain at the base of the big toe
✔️ Limited push-off strength when sprinting
✔️ Difficulty bending the toe

Treatment:
🔹 Strengthening toe flexors and stabilisers
🔹 Taping or bracing for support during rehab
🔹 Mobility drills to restore full range of motion

How We Treat Foot & Ankle Injuries at Mixed Osteo

At Mixed Osteo in Kensington, we take a holistic, movement-based approach to treating soccer injuries. We don’t just treat where it hurts—we address the why behind the injury using:

1. Applied Functional Science (AFS)

AFS looks at how the entire body moves as a unit. Foot and ankle injuries often originate from poor biomechanics in the hips, knees, or trunk. By assessing the entire kinetic chain, we can fix movement dysfunctions that contribute to injury.

2. Functional Manual Reaction (FMR)

FMR is a hands-on treatment technique that restores joint mobility, tissue elasticity, and functional movement patterns. This technique helps to:
✅ Improve foot and ankle stability
✅ Restore joint mobility in the entire lower body
✅ Reduce compensatory movement patterns that lead to re-injury

3. Sport-Specific Strength & Conditioning

Our return-to-play programs focus on:
✔️ Proprioception & Balance Training – To reduce reinjury risk
✔️ Strengthening the entire lower body chain – For power and stability
✔️ Functional Plyometrics – To improve explosiveness and landing mechanics

Preventing Foot & Ankle Injuries in Soccer

While injuries can happen, the right training and movement strategies can reduce your risk.

🔹 Strengthen foot, ankle, and hip stabilisers
 🔹 Improve ankle mobility & proprioception
 🔹 Warm-up properly before training & games
 🔹 Listen to your body – don’t push through pain

Need Help with a Soccer Injury? Book Online Today!

If you're dealing with foot or ankle pain from soccer, don’t ignore it! At Mixed Osteo in Kensington, we can help you with soccer-specific rehab, injury prevention, and performance training.

📍 Located in Kensington, Victoria
📅 Book your appointment online today!