Have you had team-mates go down with an ACL injury?
Have you watched them go through a LONG rehab program, and after 12-18 months finally return to join you on the court?
If you play any of the 5 ‘High Risk’ Australian Sports – Basketball, Aussie Rules Football, Netball, Soccer or Rugby, the thought has probably crossed your mind at some point…
Recently, we had a case in the clinic where a patient came in for INJURY PREVENTION. That’s right, a person who was not injured came to see a physio.
While it sounds strange, it shouldn’t.
It is a whole lot easier to try and prevent an injury than it is to treat one, particularly ACL.
Fortunately, there is something you can do, and we have research that shows it can reduce your risk by up to 50%. For female athletes, it can actually reduce your risk by up to 67%. Now those odds sound a lot better.
So what is this magic thing? A neuromuscular exercise program! Or in more clear terms, a program that includes:
At least 20 minutes, but the research suggests ideally 25 – 30.
Twice weekly (before each team training session is perfect!)
The program should be done both in pre-season and DURING season.
You! Show it to your club and your coach, and get them to make it a hard and fast rule that this is your team warm-up (before you get the ball involved).
You’re in luck! These programs exist. See the links below for well renowned injury prevention programs for different sports:
Note: While there is no dedicated national program for basketball or rugby, research shows the FIFA11+ program is effective in reducing injury in basketball players.
At the end of the day, injury prevention starts with you!
You’ll never know for sure how many injuries you’ll prevent by doing these programs. But it’s much better than living with the experience of rehabbing a significant injury.
Stay healthy!
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