Injury Prevention

Certificate in Soccer Injury, Prevention & Return to Play

The Certificate in Soccer Injury, Prevention & Return to Play provides you with latest research-driven methods and best practices for minimising the risk of player injury, along with techniques for safely returning injured players back to full match fitness.

Flexible AccessStudy anytime, at your pace
100% OnlineAccess from anywhere
28 hrs learningGuided learning
Internationally accredited & endorsedCPD-certified courseCertificate of AchievementExpert-led · 100% online

This Course Enables You To:

  • Injury analysis
  • Rehabilitation
  • Injury reduction strategies
  • Corrective exercises
  • Nutrition for injury
  • Injury prevention methods
  • Psychology during injury
  • Movement Preparation
  • ACL injuries
  • Return to Play

Course Details

soccer injury course certificateThe Certificate in Soccer Injury, Prevention & Return to Play course provides coaches at all levels of the game, with the knowledge, research, practical examples and specific training injury prevention and return to play methods that they can apply to their own team environment.

Through 12 focused lectures delivered by leading experts within the game, you’ll be exposed to the latest in injury reduction & RTP techniques, along with processes adopted by elite clubs to reduce risk and maximise the performance of their players and teams.

This course is suitable for:

  • Individuals tasked with the responsibility for management and rehabilitation of football players from a training, preparation, coaching & rehabilitation perspective.

The course is comprised of the following:

  • 28 study hours
  • Tutor assessed assignment
  • Certificate of Achievement
Who is this course designed for?

This course has been designed for beginner to elite level coaches who want the latest research findings, most efficient training methods for soccer specific injury prevention and return to play.

How long is the course?

This is a 28-hour course providing a deep understanding and best practices that can be applied to your own team environment to minimise the risk of injury and maximise the recovery of injured players.

Is my progress logged through the course?

After each lecture there is a short multiple-choice test designed to cement your learning. You can access your test results at anytime through your course progress area.

Can I stop/pause a presentation part way through?

Yes, the course is completely flexible. You can go back to a module at anytime and continue from where you left off.

Can I take the modules in any order?

No. The course follows a set structure that must be studied in numerical order. You can only access the next module once you have completed the previous module test.

Is there a time limit on the course?

Yes. This course has a 6-month access limit. You can access the course 24/7 within this period.

Will I get a certificate to show that I have passed the course?

Yes, you will receive a pass certificate provided you have attained the minimum pass grade of 75%.

If you have any further questions, please Contact Us.

Practitioners, medical staff & coaches can only benefit themselves & their athletes or players further by attaining a more in-depth knowledge of return to play performance markers & injury reduction techniques. The focus of the course is as follows:
  • Provides latest research findings, most efficient training methods & detailed insights into sport specific injuries, injury reduction strategies & rehabilitation of soccer or team sport athletes;
  • Gain a better understanding how to maximise their return to play status, enhancing athletes physical qualities & development of return to play protocols in an efficient & modern approach;
Official Accreditation By ISSPF

This course is fully accredited by ISSPF & ensures the study hours will contribute to the achievement of a formal accreditation & ISSPF continued professional development.

UEFA Federations

Official Accreditation By Latvian Football Federation (UEFA)

The Latvian Football Federation (LFF) fully accredits ISSPF online courses. Completion of these courses contributes to formal LFF accreditation and professional development. ISSPF courses are also recognized for UEFA PRO to C course revalidation and Professional Diploma refreshment.

Official Accreditation By Slovenian FA (NSZ) (UEFA)

The Slovenian FA (NSZ) fully accredits ISSPF online courses. Completion of these courses contributes to formal NSZ accreditation and professional development. ISSPF courses are also recognized for UEFA PRO to C course revalidation and Professional Diploma refreshment.

Official Accreditation By Iceland FA (KSI) (UEFA)

The Iceland FA (KSI) fully accredits ISSPF online courses. Completion of these courses contributes to formal KSI accreditation and professional development. ISSPF courses are also recognized for UEFA PRO to C course revalidation and Professional Diploma refreshment.

Official Accreditation By Lithuanian Football Federation (UEFA)

The Lithuania FF (LFF) fully accredits ISSPF online courses. Completion of these courses contributes to formal LFF accreditation and professional development. ISSPF courses are also recognized for UEFA PRO to C course revalidation and Professional Diploma refreshment.

CONCACAF Federation

Accredited by British Virgin Islands Football Association (BVIFA), CONCACAF

This online course holds full accreditation from the BVIFA, guaranteeing that study hours count toward formal accreditation and BVIFA's professional development. Additionally, it's accepted for BVIFA-CONCACAF course revalidation.

Official Course Endorsement

Endorsed By Tecma Clinic, Sport Medicine Centre of Excellence

This course is fully endorsed by the Tecma Clinic & Centre for Sports Medicine Excellence, Valencia, Spain.

Endorsed By Scottish Football Association (SFA)

This course has been endorsed by the SFA as part of the revalidation process.

Endorsed By Bournemouth University (BU)

This course is fully endorsed by the Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, England, UK.

Endorsed By East Tennessee State University (ETSU)

This course is fully endorsed by the ETSU, Tennessee, USA.

Endorsed By Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

This course is fully endorsed by the UiTM, Malaysia.

Endorsed By Wrexham University

This course is fully endorsed by the Wrexham University, Wrexham, Wales, UK.

Official Course Endorsement By Estonia Football Association (UEFA)

The Estonia FA (EJL) endorses ISSPF online courses. Completion of these courses contributes to professional development. ISSPF courses can be used for UEFA PRO to C course revalidation and Professional Diploma refreshment.

Official Accreditation By Football Association of Finland (UEFA)

The FA of Finland (FAF) accredits ISSPF online courses as part of their UEFA coaching program & course revalidation. Completion of these courses contributes to formal FAF accreditation refreshment and professional development.

Course Modules

01Injury analysis in soccer

Delivered by Dr. Hilary Obert
Dr. Hilary Obert

The first lecture in this course will introduce you to the epidemiology & key injury types evident within soccer. Understanding how soccer injuries occur & manifest themselves within the game across all levels is vitally important in order to maximise training availability & direct specific training interventions to maintain a healthy, fit, & functioning group of players.

02Implement injury prevention programs

Delivered by Dr. Victor Salinas Palacios

Moving from the injury types & occurrences within the game, the second lecture moves us towards the understanding of how to implement injury prevention programs in the sporting context. Here you will be exposed to the evidence around injury prevention programs, specific frameworks in the soccer environment & how we can control key variables.

03Understanding injury prevention and rehabilitation

Delivered by Dr. Juan Carlos Ramos

Lecture 3 explores further the injury prevention & rehabilitation processes used within a soccer club. Here is a case study with one of the worlds biggest clubs in terms of the processes we will follow. Here we will highlight the definition of injury, frequency and importance of injury prevention from a club standpoint. We can then discuss the development of training programs for the reduction of injury risk in soccer and the role rehabilitation plays in this process.

04Injury reduction strategies

Delivered by Dr. Patrick Orme

This next lecture highlights soccer specific injury prevention methods that have been positively used within a team sport environment and elite level soccer clubs. The combination of a number of factors have been discussed here and also shown as ways of reducing the injury risk to players. The lecture will finish openly discussing how the role of scheduling & planning within soccer can have arguably the biggest impact on player health & wellbeing.

05Screening processing & corrective implementation

Delivered by Dr. Hilary Obert
Dr. Hilary Obert

The next lesson of the course will move into a very practical & high level lecture exposing how screening & implementation of corrective exercises can maximise & reduce the injury risks amongst soccer players. Here we will be given a fantastic insight into individual program development and linking injury prevention corrective programs back to the screening process which will highlight key deficiencies with biomechanical content!

06Nutrition for Injury Phases & Rehabilitation

Delivered by Faisal Alshawa

In the next lecture you will be exposed to the importance of understanding how we fuel & maximise the recovery of our athletes or players. In line with the flow of the course it is vitally important that you understand the role nutrition plays in the injury and rehabilitation phases. Here food types and nutrition for injury phases will be discussed in detail again highlighting what we can control, influencing inflammation & muscle loss as well as regeneration through good choices!

07Injury Prevention: Key Strategies & Methods

Delivered by Aleksa Boskovic
Aleksa Boskovic

Staying with the integrated approach of injury prevention, strategies & methods that can be used to positively influence – we have ensured you gain a holistic approach from this next lecture. Here you will see how many different elements of physical performance can influence the injury risk to soccer players, but more so with the detail shown in this lecture understand where they fit together to minimise risk.

08Psychology during soccer injury

Delivered by Dr. Jorge David Mora Anzola

Lecture 8 discusses the psychological effects of injury on the soccer player and the processes used and involved. Understanding the injured player is something that is vitally important for the rehabilitation state based on the psychological consequences that can be generated through injury. Highlighting the multidisciplinary working approach is vitally important & really well explained in this lecture as well as the role of the coach in the injury stages – and how we can show the way from a psychological perspective.

09Soccer specific movement preparation

Delivered by Aleksa Boskovic
Aleksa Boskovic

The next lecture in this course really provides a fantastic overview & detail into the rehabilitation & build up phase for return to play. Improving the efficiency of the athlete or soccer player, and really developing the movement qualities of the athlete is of paramount importance. Influencing the mobility, core development & lower body activation specific to the demands of the game is shown in an excellent lecture with some great practical examples.

10Training Load Management: Performance Optimisation

Delivered by Dr. Adam Owen

Moving from the practical examples of strength training and movement efficiency, into the specific training load management, into a high-performance setting & philosophy, here you will be further exposed to specific indicators of injury reduction of risk factors. We will discuss them from a soccer player and coach centred perspective, before again finalising where internal and external scientific principles meets the practice, before exposing specific microcycle tapering strategies from a research based perspective in a soccer team context.

Only$449Buy now

What you get with your enrolment:

  • 28-hours study time
  • Tutor Assessed Assignments
  • Certificate of Achievement
  • 30 day money-back guarantee

Frequently asked questions

Who is this injury prevention course for?

The Certificate in Injury Prevention & Return to Play course is for individuals tasked with the responsibility for management and rehabilitation of football players from a training, preparation, coaching & rehabilitation perspective.

Is this course suitable for me?

If you work with sporting individuals, athletes, football players or if you are working as part of a multi-disciplinary staffing structure within a team or individual sport, this injury prevention course may offer an additional learning benefit.

All faculty members within this course are experts in injury prevention and return to play and provide a global outlook into the key themes highlighted by the course contents.

Why is this injury prevention course important?

This course provides up to date injury analysis, injury reduction processes & modern approaches & insights to individuals tasked with the injury, rehabilitation & return to play process of soccer players.

What skills will I improve if I take this injury prevention course?

This course discusses the most efficient training methods and detailed insights into developing soccer player fitness alongside rehabilitation & training methodologies.

Not only will you gain a clear understanding of how to maximise the rehabilitation process within the game, but you will learn from industry experts and help maximise your decision making through a better understanding & appreciation of football or soccer rehabilitation.

How will this course help me?

This injury prevention and return to play course will help anyone interested in making better decisions when it comes to the injury aspects of the game.

Improving the rehabilitation and understanding of returning from injury is a key part of soccer which needs to follow specific guidelines. This course will help people understand more in this area.

How can this course assist me to progress?

ISSPF courses are not only recommended by universities and federations around the world, but they are delivered by some of the leading practitioners in the game of soccer, which will provide some cutting edge methods and industry overview on dealing with specific aspects of performance coaching and development.

ISSPF are working at accrediting all their courses through academic and footballing institutes in order to provide additional academic currency to the learner.

Reviews from professional coaches

Steve McClaren
Steve McClarenManchester Utd
"This is by far the most innovative style of learning that I've seen in this digital era. The breadth of topics covered, combined with the level of detail and insights makes this a must learning environment for any coach who is working or wants to get into the game and progress to the highest levels."

Manchester Utd, Middlesborough, FC Twente, Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, England

Ringo Wu
Ringo WuAFC ‘B’ Coaching Certificate
ISSPF have managed to provide our soccer coaching staff within our college team with a 1st class opportunity to learn & apply some key performance coaching aspects. The opportunity to personally develop & track the staff’s progress through their assisted e-learning process is very impressive. I highly recommend the content as a must for all individuals tasked with the development of soccer players across all levels of the game."

Head of Physical Education & Sport, Nanwai Kings College Soccer Team, Jinkai District, Jiangsu, China

Kari Ukkonen
Kari UkkonenUEFA Professional License
Working with ISSPF as an educational partner has allowed us here at the Football Association the chance to provide CPD and continue to educate our coaches across a wide range of learning levels from our UEFA foundation levels through our UEFA Professional Licence. Offering our candidates, the chance to use both the ISSPF platform & specific soccer courses, is a huge advantage to us as an education provided within the game

Head of Coach Education, Football Association of Finland, UEFA, Helsinki, Finland

Vin Blaine
Vin BlaineCONCACAF
An experienced director with a demonstrated history of working in the soccer industry & having developed across a range of sports psychology, match analysis, player development, and sports management – I feel the opportunity to integrate the e-learning facility available from ISSPF into as a federation, club or individual self-development level is of huge benefit. As a FIFA & CONCACAF Instructor & Director of Football I have rarely seen an educational tool as good as this to positively influence individuals across a range of key soccer topics.
Leo Lucas da Silva
Leo Lucas da SilvaLevel-2 License
Using the ISSPF learning facility has opened my eyes to the detail and incredible knowledge provided from an elite faculty of elite coach developers and soccer science educators. As an individual who continually wants to progress my coaching pathway, I think this might be the best solution to increase my awareness of all elements of the game. The large amount of content and lectures available has already, and will continue to improve me. Gaining the Foundation Certificate in Soccer Science & Performance was extremely to me.

Youth Academy Coach, Botafogo de Futebol, Brazil

Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex FergusonManchester United
Sports science, without question is the biggest, most important change in my lifetime. It has moved the game onto another level that maybe we never dreamt of all those years ago. Sports science has brought a whole new dimension to the game.

Aberdeen, Manchester United

Oriol Gonzales
Oriol GonzalesUEFA Professional License
Living abroad to work as a soccer coach has its difficulties in terms of coach education provision due to travel and time commitments. Being able to access the ISSPF platform has allowed me not only to maximise my spare time from a self-development perspective, but we have also been able to gain certifications & qualifications as a club across all elements of the game. From our senior squad staff to the academy staff, ISSPF is a fundamental education tool for our club development strategy.”

Head Coach & Technical Director, Angkor Tigers FC, Asian Champions League, Cambodian Superleague, Cambodia

Jingze Quan
Jingze QuanAFC ‘B’ Coaching Certificate
Being able to develop the coaching staff throughout the club here in Eagles River FC is a large part of my role within the club. Having come across ISSPF and now using the e-learning platform for our English-speaking Chinese coaching, and medical staff we have been able to improve our focus and upgrade some key elements within the organisation. As a large grassroots club here within the province, we feel using ISSPF as an educational partnership is of huge benefit”

Director of Youth Development Coaching, Eagles River FC, Yanbian, Jilin, China

Woody Jacobs
Woody JacobsSAFA Level 1 Diploma
Working as both Assistant Manager with elite players of our national team, I have been able to directly take a lot of content and thought provoking ideas from the content on view within ISSPF and use them to the benefit of our national players. Furthermore, I am delighted to say that we are now integrating the ISSPF online courses into our coach development program to uplift the whole coaching education aspects of our nation.

Assistant Manager & Coach Developer, Namibian National Soccer Association, Namibia

Susan Lockyear
Susan LockyearFFA Advanced Coaching License
As the game develops within the professional women’s game & also filters down within the girl’s academy programs across the world, we are proud to be at the forefront of driving the developmental aspects of the game in this area. To be able to link as an educational partnership with ISSPF is a huge part of our federation soccer development strategy, and as we can now offer a range of online content, certification qualifications and courses from a range of leading professionals – we have already seen a direct enhancement across our coaching content and performance department delivery.

Head Coach & Technical Director, Canberra State County FA, Australia

Lorenzo Francini
Lorenzo FranciniMSc
As a fitness coach and sport scientist working at the elite level of the female game, I feel that ISSPF and their integration of both applied and academic quality is something that will be of huge importance for people within our industry. ISSPF have manage to accumulate a faculty of leaders across soccer science, medical & coaching science that will enable them to educate people from a very insightful and practitioning way.

Head of Performance, AC Milan, Women’s Division, Italy

Peter McDonnell
Peter McDonnellUEFA A License
The layers of content within ISSPF is in a league of it's on when considering CPD options for coaches of all levels. Having explored many avenues through my own coaching journey, the detail embedded in the courses really lends itself to closing the gap between the integrated knowledge across the fields of Sports Science and the actual application of the skills on the field. Being able to learn from many experts, across a global faculty, affords me the ability to step into their professional world and soak in the abundant knowledge they have, all in my own time.

Assistant Soccer Coach – The University of Maine

Claudio Donatelli
Claudio Donatelli
ISSPF have been able to seamlessly provide all individuals with an interest in team sports and specifically soccer with the chance to learn from some of the best people in their key research areas. Developing throughout my career as a fitness & conditioning expert and applying the scientific principles of training at the elite level of the soccer, I feel being able to use the e-learning strategy within ISSPF challenges and adds further credibility to my working practices. I highly recommend individuals from all learning levels to tap into the fantastic resource available here.

Performance & Fitness Coach Italian National Team

Tony Merola
Tony MerolaUEFA A License
Never before have I seen a unique set of soccer specific performance & coaching specialists under one banner and available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to learn within the comfort of my own home. Being part of the educational partnership program with ISSPF has opened up a new & time efficient way for both myself as Technical Director, and my club coaching and fitness staff to up skill and develop as coaches.

Boys ECNL Director – Tulsa Soccer Club, USA

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