World Cup fever? Advice from Valley doctor for those who want to learn soccer

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The World Cup is drawing soccer fans from all over

Jimmy's Sports World in Fresno sells sports attire. They say they've seen so many customers come in buying soccer merch since the start of the World Cup that now all they have is a few hats and jerseys.

"We did get an order in on Friday, and they only had like 36 available, and we got them and we sold out by noon," says owner Jimmy Bosquez. "We got them in at about 10 am from UPS and they have just been wiping us out. We just can't get the stuff fast enough for them. They've been overwhelming the fans."

Kaiser Permanente sports medicine specialist Dr. Anthony Yu called it World Cup fever.

"World Cup fever only happens once every four years," he said.

Dr. Yu says he often sees more people get inspired to join sports after large professional sporting events like the World Cup and the Olympics.

"Yeah, we'll see injuries related to those sports more commonly," he said.

He shares some of the common injuries he sees around soccer.

"Lower extremity injuries, ankle in particular," he said. "High school soccer, for example, is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to pretty bad knee injuries, such as ACL tears or meniscus tears."

Whether you're just getting into the sport for the first time or are a seasoned athlete, Dr. Yu encourages locals to avoid injuries and take care of your body by taking lessons, stretching beforehand and staying hydrated, especially in these summer months.

"That advice to ease in, conditioning your body, train to prepare yourself to play at 100%," he said. "Not just jumping in on day one to do that, especially if it's an outdoor sport like soccer."

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