In this article, we will be focusing on two Athletes who have suffered from two different leg injuries but first, we will talk about leg injury. In high school football, leg injuries are among the most common injuries players face. Football is a high-impact sport that requires players to perform explosive movements like sprinting, cutting, and jumping, which put a lot of stress on their legs, particularly the knees and ankles.
Some of the most frequent leg injuries in high school football include ankle sprains, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears, MCL (medial collateral ligament) sprains, hamstring strains, and contusions. These injuries often occur due to the intense physical demands of sport combined with the contact involved.
Tackling and blocking are central to football, and players frequently experience hits on their legs. An awkward tackle, a planted foot, or a collision at an unexpected angle can lead to serious injuries like ligament tears. High school athletes may be at an even greater risk of leg injuries than younger players because the intensity of play increases, with athletes being stronger and faster. High school athletes are also still growing, and their bodies are developing, which can make them more vulnerable to injuries—particularly if they do not have a solid foundation of strength and flexibility.
Caleb Cosme a four-year Football Player knows a lot about leg injuries, Caleb tore his ACL – (anterior cruciate ligament) last football season in the middle of the season and has a lot to tell us about how he bounced back from what he went through. “After my surgery, I was given visits, letters, and calls to help keep my mind unoccupied on the recovery process. Luckily, I would use those same letters as motivation throughout my season. The words minor setback: major comeback carried me throughout most of my recovery.” Physically and mentally, I went through, “In all honesty, tearing my ACL was easily the hardest thing I have ever done. From an incredibly long 335-day recovery process, it felt more like a mental recovery than a physical one. From not having enough strength in my leg to even move a muscle, I had serious doubts about coming back to my senior season. The physical journey was difficult but nothing near the mental, but it is something I am proud to say I overcame.”
Aaron Nelson played football his Sophomore year tore his ACL – (anterior cruciate ligament) during a Saturday practice and missed the rest of his sophomore year; he has some interesting things to tell us on how he came back and what it took. “The recovery process was more of a mental battle I would say, sitting back and on the sidelines watching those enjoy something I find such a passion for was the greatest struggle. However, I found comfort in this by discovering new depths to sports and using the emotions towards being sidelined to build a new knee. Sports are an outlet for anyone, and letting an injury take that away gave me the confidence to grow and push forward. “
The biggest part of the game of football is tape; tape in football is particularly important and we get help every week from our tape guy Matt Durant. Durant has been taping up kids at West High for more than four years now. Durant has helped a lot of people with the injuries that they have had over the years such as tapping up ankles and knees. Durant has been working at Valley Chiropractic for twelve years now and is one of four Doctors who work there, Durant goes to home and away football games and I asked Matt what the biggest things are for taping up kids.
Durant said taping up for football helps prevent injuries in several ways, particularly by providing stability, support, and protection to joints and muscles that are at risk of strain or impact. Joint Stability Taping stabilizes joints like the ankles, wrists, and fingers, which are vulnerable to sprains and hyperextension in a high-contact sport such as football. This added stability helps reduce the range of motion in vulnerable areas, minimizing the risk of twisting, rolling, or overextending joints.
Muscle support in taping can provide added support to muscles, especially those prone to strain or overuse, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps. It can help reduce muscle fatigue by lessening the impact on soft tissues during intense play, lowering the chance of muscle pulls or tears.
Compression in taping provides compression, which can reduce swelling and improve circulation in areas that are at risk of strain or injury. This can help prevent minor injuries from worsening by containing inflammation and reducing blood flow to a potential injury site, injury prevention for previous injuries, taping is commonly used to support areas where players have had previous injuries, like a sprained ankle. It can protect weakened ligaments or tendons by keeping them aligned and reducing the chance of reinjury.
Durant said psychological benefit is the support from taping can also give players confidence, allowing them to move without worrying about reinjury. This added psychological comfort can lead to more relaxed movement and help prevent accidents that happen from compensating or over-guarding an injury. Overall, Durant Said taping in football offers physical and mental benefits that contribute to a player’s stability, safety, and performance on the field.
