Injury Prevention and Screening

Injury prevention programs include strengthening, agility, flexibility, balance exercises along with education around proper movement patterns as well as jumping and landing mechanics 

New research has shown that the old school warm-ups of performing several stationary stretches is suboptimal in warming up the body, improving performance or preventing an injury from occurring. 

Programs should be implemented as a standard warm-up prior to matches and training sessions at least three times a week over the course of a 8-12 week block. Correct technique should always try to be achieved where possible and if any exercises cause you any pain, please cease that exercise. 

Some reasons as to why injury prevention programs enhance overall sporting performance:

• Improving muscle strength therefore making them more powerful. 
• Improve body control. 
• Reduce the risk of overall injury rates: some lower limb injury prevention programs have shown reduction injury rates >40% in knees and ankles. 
• More efficient movement patterns when knowing how to land jump and change direction correctly.

Physiotherapy is a great way of reducing the risk of an injury occurring since most sports injuries happen when there is an imbalance between muscle strength and weakness and lack of control.

Physiotherapists assess the biomechanical function of athletes to correct any movement patterns that may contribute to a future injury. 

Some examples of these programs include:

• FIFA 11 + Kids
• Netball knees
• OSTRC Shoulder injury prevention program

At OnePointHealth, we offer pre and in-season assessment and screenings to athletes to tailor individualised exercise programs to help reduce the risk of an injury occurring.