INJURY PREVENTION IN COMMUNITY AFL
Given return to competition in 2021 after a year without the majority of community sporting competitions in 2020, incidence of injuries to all parts of the lower limbs are unfortunately more likely than ever before.
Injury to the knee, hamstring and ankle can be debilitating due to the enormous number of varied forces that are put through the lower limb while weight bearing through the joints required for all upright locomotion.
Injuries to these areas account for the biggest lost time injuries in the AFL as well as most twist and turn sports played in Australia and around the world.
Traumatic knee injuries caused by impact, twist and turn mechanisms while working or playing sport include ligament and cartilage injuries. Sports such as football, netball, rugby, lacrosse and hockey are sports that tends to have a high incidence of ACL and other ligament injuries. Cartilage can also be impacted through excessive use and awkward positions under load.
Patellofemoral joint pain (PFJ) tends to cause significant pain particularly with deep knee flexion positions such as landing to getting up from the ground.
The Footy First training program has been developed considering the latest and best recent scientific evidence by the AFL, in conjunction with Monash University and Griffith University, the Victorian and NSW governments and Sports Medicine Australia, as an injury prevention program designed to prevent, at the least reduce, the prevalence of leg injuries in community Australian Football is a fantastic resource available to everyone as free PDF document.
The program includes ideas for the most appropriate warm up regimes, progressions as players become more proficient at each exercise or dynamic stretch as well as being formulated considering the exact movement patterns required for safe completion of a sport with such high demands as Australian rules football.
By implementation of programs such as the footy first program at all levels of community football, we can cost effectively do our bit in preventing lost time injuries and the associated heartache of missing games. Let’s make the 2021 WRFL season the best season in memory by keeping as many players as possible available for every game.
If you’d like more specific injury information, please visit https://physioplus.com.au/ to read more about any injury that you may be suffering or to book an appointment with one of their fantastic team today.