The delivery of injury prevention exercise programmes in professional youth soccer : Comparison to the FIFA 11
- Authors: O'Brien, James , Young, Warren , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 20, no. 1 (2016), p. 26-31
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: OBJECTIVES: Injury prevention exercise programmes for amateur soccer have gained considerable attention, but little is known about their relevance and adaptability to professional soccer settings. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes used by professional youth soccer teams, compared to the industry standard injury prevention exercise programme for soccer, the Federation Internationale de Football Association's FIFA 11+. The second aim was to document specific challenges to implementing injury prevention exercise programmes in this context. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. METHODS: The participants were soccer coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists (n=18) from four teams in a professional youth soccer academy. Each team's chosen injury prevention exercise programmes were observed weekly across an entire soccer season (160 sessions). The delivery and content of the programmes were documented on a standardised worksheet and compared to the FIFA 11+. Specific implementation challenges were recorded. RESULTS: Fitness coaches were the primary deliverers of injury prevention exercise programmes, with support from physiotherapists. Multiple delivery formats and locations were employed, along with the extensive use of equipment. Across all injury prevention exercise programme sessions, a median of one FIFA 11+ exercise was performed in its original form and a further four in a modified form. Implementation challenges included poor staff communication, competing training priorities and heavy game schedules. CONCLUSIONS: Although the basic components of the FIFA 11+ hold relevance for professional youth male teams, the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes require considerable tailoring for this context. Recognising this will inform the development of improved, context-specific injury prevention exercise programmes, along with corresponding strategies to enhance their implementation.
It will take more than an existing exercise programme to prevent injury
- Authors: O'Brien, James , Donaldson, Alex , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Editorial
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 50, no. 5 (Mar 2016), p. 264-265
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: In 1983, Ekstrand et al published the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an injury prevention programme for team ball sport. Three decades on from this landmark study, it is worth reflecting on the progress made and the current ‘state-of-play’ in the field of team ball sport injury prevention research. The volume of published research has grown considerably with a recent systematic review of team ball sport injury prevention exercise programmes (IPEPs) identifying over 50 published trials. The scale, quality and outcomes of recent RCTs are also encouraging with a Swedish trial including over 4500 female soccer players and demonstrating a 64% reduction in the rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
Injury prevention exercise programs for professional soccer : Understanding the perceptions of the end-users
- Authors: O'Brien, James , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine Vol. 27, no. 1 (2017), p. 1-9
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: Objective: To evaluate the perceptions of professional soccer players and staff members toward injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs). Design: Self-report survey. Setting: Four professional soccer teams in 4 different countries. Participants: 126 players, coaches, physiotherapists, and fitness coaches were invited to participate, with 72 respondents. Main Outcome Measures: Web-based survey detailing perceptions of lower limb (LL) injury susceptibility and seriousness, the value of IPEPs in general, and more specifically the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) 11+. Results: The vast majority of the respondents believed that professional soccer players are at high risk of LL injuries (93%) and that players should perform evidence-based injury prevention exercises (98%). They also agreed that LL injuries can shorten a player's career (85%), cause physical problems later in life (82%), and negatively impact on team performance (77%). However, perceptions varied across teams regarding which types of injury prevention exercises are effective, who holds responsibility for injury prevention, and when IPEPs should be performed. Specific knowledge of the FIFA 11+ was very low and 47% of respondents believed the program would need modification for use in their team. Conclusions: Players and staff members in professional soccer teams strongly support the use of evidence-based IPEPs. However, perceptions vary considerably between teams regarding which exercises can prevent injuries, who holds the responsibility for injury prevention, and when preventive exercises should be performed. Enhancing the ultimate impact of IPEPs in professional soccer requires a detailed understanding of each team's specific implementation context. © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.