What can you do to reduce your risk of injury?

It is that time of the year again and junior sport is returning for all our keen footballers, netballers and basketballers! We’re excited to see everyone running around and getting their dose of social exercise and community sport. After a tumultuous 2020, the last thing that you would want to happen would be an injury which meant your son or daughter would have to have an extended stint on the sidelines. Our physiotherapist Michael Scardamaglia identifies what we can do to reduce your risk of injury.

Why is injury prevention so important?

In AFL alone, we are seeing a huge increase in adolescent knee reconstructions associated with Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries. In fact, reconstructions have increased by almost 75% in the last 15 years. On top of that, it has also been identified that females aged 15-19 years old are at the highest risk of rupturing their ACL. In common winter sports such as football, soccer and netball, 60-90% of injuries occur to the lower limb.

Importantly, research and sports medicine has identified proven ways to reduce the likelihood of injury.

How can we prevent injury?

Risk of injury in children can be reduced by up to 45% by performing 30 – 60 mins of injury prevention exercises per week. Importantly, these exercises can be spaced out across multiple training sessions.

In your injury prevention program, be sure to include the following:

• Running drills over variable distances and intensities
• Strengthening exercises for upper and lower limbs and core
• Jumping and landing technique drills.

Basic exercises such as jumping and landing on one leg, zig zag running, single leg squats and planks can make a massive difference to your child’s ability to stay on the field and are very easy to implement at the grass roots level.

To us, it is a no brainer to be completing these exercises. 45% is a huge reduction in injuries and means that you can carry on playing the sports you love. So put down the pens for a minimum of 30 mins per week and get moving, it may be the most valuable homework to do all year!

Our team at Malvern East Physiotherapy assist with injury prevention programs for a number of local sporting clubs and associations. To get your local team involved or a develop an individualised program for yourself, please contact our friendly team directly or book online today.