FIFA 11+ program proven to reduce injuries among soccer players

HOUSTON – It's a grueling contact sport where players have little protection against injury, so doctors are focusing on preventing soccer injuries before the game even starts.

Houston Dash center midfielder Jordan Jackson is now on our city's professional team for women. She sat out her senior year at the University of Nebraska because of an MCL knee injury.

"It felt like I was shot," Jackson said.

However, since she started using what's called the FIFA 11+ program here in Houston, she hasn't had any new or recurring injuries.

"Where I've been playing soccer it's definitely more widespread, trying to hit every single part of your body when warming up, but here it's focused on what you need to play soccer," she said.

FIFA 11+ is a warm-up used worldwide at the highest levels of play. It focuses mainly on the hamstrings, knees and ankles.

Dash team doctor Joshua Harris started making the players warm up the FIFA way when he found evidence proving it reduces injuries. Now he's seeing improvements among Houston's players and he wants more players at a younger age using it to reduce the risk of injury.

"All peer reviews indicate a 30 to 50 percent reduction in injuries since the implementation," Houston Methodist orthopedic surgeon Joshua Harris said.

The routine is divided into three parts: stretching, flexibility, and balance and strength training. Click here to check out the routine.

"We want to make sure our teenagers and pre-teens are actually doing the correct form and reducing the risk of injury or preventing that type of injury in their future," Harris said.

Jackson credits the routine with keeping her free from more career-changing injuries. "The younger you start, the more beneficial it will be, because your body will get used to those exercises and get used to that strength."