NEW YORK (March 15, 2010) – Manhattan Soccer Club players, their parents and coaches can learn how to avoid or minimize injuries associated with running, kicking and passing thanks to a new program sponsored by UnitedHealthcare.

The new "Keeping Soccer Safe and Healthy" program will feature a series of lectures and on-field demonstrations this spring on topics that range from recognizing signs and symptoms of a concussion to exercises designed to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The presentations for the Manhattan Soccer Club's approximately 950 players between the ages of 8 and 18, their parents, and coaches will be given by sports medicine physicians and sports training experts.

The lectures will be hosted by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and on-field demonstration will be held on soccer fields in the Manhattan area.

"As we encourage boys and girls to be more active by participating in sports, we also need to teach them how to avoid sports injuries. Training and educational programs like this can be effective tools in keeping our kids healthy," said Dr. Jordan Metzl, sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery and the clinician for the new educational program.

"The Keeping Soccer Safe and Healthy program provides players, coaches and parents a unique opportunity to learn from experts in sports medicine," said Dr. Sanford Cohen, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare's Northeast Region. "We are excited to partner with HSS to make this program a reality and help our community's young athletes stay healthy while doing what is so crucial at their ages, which is to exercise."

Some of the sessions will be specific to a certain group of players. For example, Andrew FitzGerald, a professional soccer trainer and coach, and co-founder of E3Sports, will be teaching on-field exercises specifically designed for girls 13 and older.

According to a study released in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, female athletes are four- to six-times more likely to sustain an ACL injury than males because developing girls are more prone to knee injuries.

"Manhattan Soccer Club is pleased with the potential impact of this program and its ability to make our players stronger on and off the field," said Dr. Valarie Parkas, associate professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a member of the board of Manhattan Soccer Club.

About Manhattan Soccer Club
One of the largest youth soccer organizations in New York state, the Manhattan Soccer Club has 52 teams and approximately 950 players – boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18.

About Hospital for Special Surgery
Founded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. HSS is nationally ranked No. 2 in orthopedics, No. 3 in rheumatology and No. 24 in neurology by U.S. News & World Report (2009), and has received Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. From 2007 to 2010, HSS has been a recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award. The hospital's research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of approximately 25 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.