MFPA Player Zone Magazine #4

Player Zone 2019 Player Zone 2019
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
AT THE FOREFRONT OF
INJURY PREVENTION
WITH
CEDRIC
SCIBERRAS
BY
DR. SIHON
GAUCI
Cedric Sciberras needs no introduction to most football players in Malta.
After gaining a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy and an MSc in Strength and
Conditioning, he has worked for various Maltese clubs, including Marsaxlokk,
Naxxar, Pembroke as well as the Maltese National Team. He currently works
with Gzira United as well as the National Sports School. I met with him to
discuss how physiotherapy can play a crucial role in sports.
Tell me more about these injury preventions strategies.
As physiotherapists we carefully assess our athletes, for any
indication of a higher risk of injuries in certain areas. Armed with this
information we then create and implement an injury prevention
program, whilst continuously monitoring and assessing progress.
Is there a correlation between injury prevention
and the nutrition and lifestyle of a player?
100% yes. Lifestyle, nutrition and adequate recovery (which
includes sleep) are all major factors in reducing the risk of
injury. Studies have shown that lack of sleep, poor hydration
and fatigue all contribute to higher risk for injuries.
DID YOU KNOW?
That minor players (Under 18) can’t just decide to leave Malta and
play abroad. FIFA imposes very stringent conditions and it only allows
registration of minors in foreign leagues, if one of three grounds is met.
Let’s start from the basics, what is a
sports physiotherapist’s role exactly?
In simple terms we deal with the rehabilitation and treatment of
athlete injuries. However, a more accurate and comprehensive
answer would be the following: we are directly involved in
pitch side first aid management and subsequent clinical
rehabilitation of injured players. We are also tasked with pregame
preparation such as massages, taping techniques,
muscle and joint activation and other modalities. And finally,
physiotherapists are also involved in prehab and injury
prevention strategies that help reduce the incidence of injuries.
Should physiotherapists be directly consulted during pre-season?
Yes. The involvement of physiotherapists in pre-season
management is beneficial. First and foremost, adequate
anthropometric testing (measurements and proportions of
the human body) as well as musculoskeletal assessments,
should be carried out, in collaboration with the physical
trainer. From such data, muscle imbalances and weaknesses
are identified, which will allow us to design adequate prehab
strategies. Secondly, physiotherapists should collaborate
with all the experts on the team, including the physical
trainer, to design effective recovery strategies.
24 Physiotherapists - At the Forefront of Injury Prevention
Physiotherapists - At the Forefront of Injury Prevention
25