In fact, a US research study found that knee injuries resulted in the most time lost from competition and produced the greatest number of cases requiring surgery. Both mechanical and functional instability predispose soccer players to sprains of the knee.

Researchers have found that soccer kicks from an angled approach may strain the knee joint structures of the support leg.

Soccer players who twist, pivot or stop too quickly may wind up tearing the menisci, the pads of cartilage that separate the knee bones. Complete rupturing of the anterior cruciate ligament is also a common knee injury sustained by soccer players. Immediate medical attention is essential.