pacific games, noumea 2011 - Oceania Athletics Association

Injury Prevention
By Richard Newsham-West PhD
Griffith University , Gold Coast
Participating in sport, while it has the associated health
and psychological benefits, it does carry the risk of a
musculoskeletal injury. Fortunately in track and field
athletes, most injuries are not serious and the injury will
rapidly repair and the athlete will rehabilitate quickly.
Of all the track and field athletes the literature would
suggest that the risk for injury is higher in athletes
competing in the running events when compared to
those competing in field events, but this is in no way
conclusive. Epidemiological studies of injury prevalence,
incidence and patterns in track and field athletics are
scarce. What literature that does exist, suggests that in
the running events where the foot hits the ground
between 1000 and 1500 times per mile with forces of up
to 3 times body weight, the overuse type injuries are
common and occur mainly in the lower limb (leg and
foot). In the events where a force is generated such as in
the sprinting and jumping events acute muscular
injuries are the most commonly reported injuries.
Pole-vaulters and high jumpers tend to report acute
lower back injuries as the predominant injury. In the
throwing events, both acute and overuse upper limb and
lower back injuries are reported. Knowing the
predominant injury (type and body location) and
knowledge in the cause of these injuries allows the team
physiotherapist, coach and exercise physiologist to
design event specific programs that are aimed at
minimising the chance of these injuries occurring by
addressing the risk factors associated or causes of the
predominant injuries.
Sports injuries are not often the result a single risk
factor. Often they are a result of a number of intrinsic
and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic or internal risk factors that
may predispose the athlete to injury are factors that are
individual and specific to that athlete, such as a muscle
imbalance, prior injury, inadequate or poor diet, poor
sleep or recovery and faulty mechanics. Risk factors that
are external to the athlete include inappropriate or old
footwear, their training practices and the physical
environment in which they are training and compete in
(e.g. the local climatic conditions).
The healthcare provider associated with the team or
squad should along with the coach and the athlete
develop a plan for relevant prevention measures
PHYSIOLOGY
strategies that will not only minimise or remove these
risk factors but better prepare the athlete for participation
in their chosen event.
A simple guide to injury prevention is as follows;
Pre-season or pre-participation screening
A healthcare provider, usually the physiotherapist will
use a screening tool to identify the ‗at risk’ athlete and
those factors that may increase the athlete to injury.
This usually involves a full history of sporting activity
and injury history, a physical examination, a measure
muscle performance such as length and strength of
the muscles (e.g. hamstring length, side bridging),
proprioceptive or kinesthetic sense (balance) through
a series of balance related assessments, a series of
event specific skill based assessments and a series of
fitness and conditioning assessments. During these
assessments, deficits in the athlete‘s biomechanical
and physiological systems that place the athlete at risk
of injury can be identified and intervention(s) designed
to address these can be introduced into the athletes
training schedule.
Warm-up, cool-down and stretch
Warming-up correctly in important in preparing the
body and mind for the activity is important in injury
prevention. The cool-down is equally as important to
help the body recover from exercise and again prevent
injury. The warm-up should include a period of
endurance and cardiovascular loading type exercises
but also include skill or task specific exercises along
with dynamic stretching to prepare the body for the
demands of the sporting event. Cool down exercises is
often forgotten by the athlete but it is equally
important. It is important to perform some low impact
low cardiovascular activity such as a light jog or walk,
static stretches and re-fuelling with appropriate food
and fluids. Some athletes use other recovery
strategies such as massage, pool sessions and or
contrast baths. These need to be explored by each
individual athlete in consultation with their coaches.
Oceania RDC Bulletin 2011 Page 14