My soccer career began at 5 years old. I played competitively since I was 11, went to college on a soccer scholarship, and even practiced with a semi-professional women’s team. After that, I continued to play for fun on both coed and women’s teams until I was about 3 months pregnant with my 1st child. At this point is when my mindset began to change. I played part of a season after my 1st child was born, and found myself playing differently.
Off the field I tend to be a more mild-mannered person. On the field, I was aggressive and fearless. I found that when I had to consider my career as a chiropractor and being a mom, I played more hesitantly. I went into tackles less aggressively and I overall did not have the same joy that I did before both short term and long term injuries were on my mind.
So when deciding one day whether or not to continue playing, I took a step back to look at the pros and cons. Two things stood out to me.
- Injury is more likely in soccer when you play timidly. For example, when 2 players go for a ball, the player that goes into the tackle timidly is more likely to get hurt.
- I have seen what people look and feel like after competing in soccer past a certain point. They have trouble doing other activities, sometimes everyday activities, because of “old ankle/knee injuries”. I see how they limp around days after their last game and their overall recovery is tough on their body. This isn’t always the case but for many it is.
That being said, I chose to quit playing soccer (I still do play with my kids for fun) and focus my fitness attention on activities that are less likely to cause more serious, chronic injuries. I left the sport I loved to preserve my body for the other activities I really like. To stay active, I hike, bike, walk, play tennis, kayak, etc. I choose to engage in less risky activities to minimize long term damage to my body. Was this the right choice? For me it was. For you, maybe not.
Be healthy, take care of yourself, and nurture the body that you will always have.
