Download Warm-Up Tips to Help Prevent Injuries (continued)

Warm-Up Tips to Help Prevent Injuries
Valuable warm-up tips to help prevent knee, ankle, back and shoulder injuries
in running and jumping/change of direction sports
If you knew you could significantly reduce the risk of serious knee, ankle, back or shoulder injuries simply by
changing the way you warmed up before training and competitions, would you do it? The answer is no doubt,
“yes”. When it comes to doing a proper “warm up” as it relates to training, competing and injury prevention
we have learned a lot in recent years. Static stretching, for example, is no longer considered the standard
when it comes to proper warm-ups. (Static stretching puts a stretch on the muscles and tendons for a period
of over 60 seconds. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, ensures that muscles move into and out of range
through the performance of an active movement with a stretch of less than 60 seconds.)
Through extensive research conducted by medical professionals in the field of sports injury, we now have a
much better and more detailed understanding of how we should warm up and the specific exercises that
should be included to help prevent injury—especially in sports that involve running and changing direction.
That covers a lot of sports, including basketball, track and field, rugby, gymnastics, football, soccer,
volleyball, field hockey and many others.
What do we now know?
Recent studies in the field have demonstrated that exercise based training which targets neuromuscular
control is proven to reduce lower limb injury in sport. (Neuromuscular control refers to the ability of an athlete
to stabilize, correct, control and withstand the forces demanded in the course of training and play.) For example,
years of research that lead to the development of the Gallic Athletic Information (GAA15) injury prevention
program…http://f-marc.com/11plus/exercises/.
In short, warm up programs should prepare the muscles so that they are ready to work to their maximum.
For all running sports coaches, athletes (and parents) should therefore consider the importance of core
stability, eccentric hamstring training, neuromuscular control and plyometric exercises. While this can sound a
bit technical, there are some simple steps coaches can take to help athletes develop a better way to warm up.
Each of the following should be part of an athlete’s warm-up regimen.
Core stability
Athletes need to focus on the importance of their core muscles. These are the muscles of the trunk and
pelvic-hip area including the abdominal muscles and the back muscles. Any dynamic movement made with
the upper or lower body originates from the muscles in the core. Strengthening these core muscles is
therefore important in all sports as part of the regular training. However a warm up routine should use
exercises, such as planks for 20 seconds, to prepare or pre set the core muscles. Preparing these muscles to
work together before performance will increase the stability of the body through the entire abdominal area.
This is essential to prevent all forms of injury both in the lower back area and within the lower extremity, in
particular the knee.
Eccentric training of the hamstrings
Training of the hamstrings is also essential. Hamstring muscles function in all walking, running and jumping
movements as they control the activity of the hip and knee. They function both in the concentric phase (when
the muscle shortens) and the eccentric phase (as it lengthens). Most injuries occur in the eccentric phase so
warm up exercises need to work the muscle in this phase to prepare it to function effectively. Eccentric
exercises, such as the Nordic hamstring exercises, should be used prior to running and twisting activity.
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Warm-Up Tips to Help Prevent Injuries (continued)
Neuromuscular control: knee over toe
The muscles are controlled by messages that come through the nerves. The more we do a movement the
more the muscle work becomes learned (muscle memory). This is a complex interacting system that controls
muscle contractions, coordination, stabilization, body posture and balance. Muscle, tendon and ligament
strains are caused when the body moves beyond the normal movement limits. In the lower extremity, injury
is often the result of movement of the knee inwards. To prevent this, training needs to be designed to keep the
knee over the toe in all movements, especially when the foot hits the ground such as in running, jumping and
changing direction. A warm-up routine should include a series of running and changing direction exercises in
which the knee is always kept over the toe.
Plyometric and agility: Landing/Positioning
Plyometric exercises enable a muscle to reach maximum strength in as short a time as possible. Injuries
occur most frequently when the joint is decelerating or slowing down as it has to control movement and
absorb the force. Plyometric training teaches the body to produce force more effectively but also to absorb
and control forces safely. This requires the muscles to change their function as they lengthen and shorten.
The aim of plyometric training is to decrease the amount of time between the lengthening and shortening
phases. Training muscles to perform both the explosive force as well as the stabilizing function will help
decrease injuries. A warm up routine should include a series of jumping exercises, on both legs or from one
leg to the other, so as to prepare the muscles in both phases (and make sure the knee stays over the toe!).
Reducing risks
In sports that involve running and change of direction there will always be a risk of injury. While injuries can
occur because of contact in various sports, just as many or more are non-contact injuries. Knowing what
specific exercises should be done as part of a regular warm-up program will help to prepare the body better
in terms of potentially preventing injuries, especially non-contact injuries. (It’s worth noting that individuals
that have had an injury are at a higher risk of future injury so they need to make sure these exercises are part
of their regular rehabilitation routine.)
While the right kind of stretching has an important place in training, it’s critical for athletes getting ready to
train and compete to focus their warm-up regimen on movement preparation for their particular sport so they
can fully prepare the muscles to perform at their maximum—as soon as they step out into their competitive
environment.
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