Description:
The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of static stretching in a warm-up on hip flexor and quadriceps flexibility as measured by a modified Thomas test and on range of motion (ROM) of the leg and foot speed at impact in kicking a football with maximum effort. Sixteen Australian Rules (AR) footballers performed two different warm-ups on different days. One warm-up involved five minutes of sub-maximum running followed by seven practice kicks, while the other also included 4.5 minutes static stretching of the hip flexors and quadriceps after the running. A modified Thomas test was conduced before and after each warm-up. Players performed maximum effort drop punt kicks into a net while being videotaped to determine the ROM of the kicking leg and foot speed at impact with the ball. There were no significant changes in flexibility (p>0.05) as a result of either warm-up and there were no significant differences between the warm-ups in the kicking variables (p>0.05). It was concluded that the Thomas test may not have been sensitive to possible acute changes in flexibility from the warm-ups, and that stretching had no influence on kicking ROM or foot speed, possibly because of the complexity of the kicking skill.
Description:
The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of static stretching in a warm-up on hip flexor and quadriceps flexibility as measured by a modified Thomas test and on range of motion (ROM) of the leg and foot speed at impact in kicking a football with maximum effort. Sixteen Australian Rules (AR) footballers performed two different warm-ups on different days. One warm-up involved five minutes of sub-maximum running followed by seven practice kicks, while the other also included 4.5 minutes static stretching of the hip flexors and quadriceps after the running. A modified Thomas test was conduced before and after each warm-up. Players performed maximum effort drop punt kicks into a net while being videotaped to determine the ROM of the kicking leg and foot speed at impact with the ball. There were no significant changes in flexibility (p>0.05) as a result of either warm-up and there were no significant differences between the warm-ups in the kicking variables (p>0.05). It was concluded that the Thomas test may not have been sensitive to possible acute changes in flexibility from the warm-ups, and that stretching had no influence on kicking ROM or foot speed, possibly because of the complexity of the kicking skill.
Description:
Neuromuscular control during high risk sporting movements, such as abrupt landings found in netball, is viewed as a risk factor contributing to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. Although the mechanism of injury remains relatively unclear, it has been found that intervention studies have reduced the risk of ACL injury. However, there are limited studies that investigate the neuromuscular contribution to the success of a program. Therefore the purpose of this investigation was to compare neuromuscular characteristics for a balance training group (BT) and landing training group (LT). Twenty-four female netball players from three teams (age 22 ± 5 years) had EMG data recorded for the right lower limb (rectus femoris, medial and lateral hamstrings, gluteus medius) pre and post a 6-week intervention period. Each team was randomly assigned the BT, LT or control group. Subjects performed the intervention program three times per week. The repetitions and complexity of balance or landing tasks during the training period increased each week with a concurrent reduction in feedback regarding torso, hip and knee positioning.
Description:
Introduction: Published netball data have indicated that the ankle and knee are common sites for injury, often as a result of incorrect landing technique. Promising results have been demonstrated across various sports using training intervention studies designed to reduce lower limb injury rates. This qualitative study examines the barriers and facilitators towards the implementation of a 6-week landing intervention program (“Down to Earth”) by coaches of junior netball teams. Methodology: Coaches of junior teams (n = 30) were recruited prior to the competition season (October 2007 to March 2008) and attended a workshop where the coaching requirements of the program were demonstrated. Coaches were instructed to implement the program at training, noting any issues regarding program compliance. Pre- and post-season surveys modelled on the Theory of Planned Behaviour were used to indicate coaches’ attitudes, perceived social norms and behavioural control towards safe landing programs in netball. Retention of correct landing principles was assessed and barriers and facilitators for broader implementation among junior netball coaches were determined. Results and discussion: Results will be presented to indicate how coaches’ attitudes and knowledge towards landing intervention programs can assist in the development of an effective implementation strategy of a training injury prevention intervention, to a broader netball community. An example of feedback provided was”…we have noticed quite an improvement in the kids, and their landing and balancing, so it is all been worth while. We were also discussing…about including the program into our junior training next year and how best to do this”.
Description:
Given the escalating drought conditions in Australia, synthetic surfaces have recently been explored as a viable surface option for community-level Australian football-cricket ovals. The vast majority of Australian football ovals are transformed into cricket pitches during the football off-season and hence the characteristics of both sports had to be duly considered in the development of standards that could be tested in a laboratory setting, for a synthetic turf surface. This paper describes the data collection and test methods undertaken in the development of the standards for synthetic surface use in Australian football and cricket. The paper also discusses the issues and challenges encountered during the development of standards for multi-sport synthetic surfaces to ensure player safety while maintaining the performance characteristics of both sports. Surface property and ball interaction tests were undertaken on natural playing surfaces, both in situ and in the laboratory to determine the properties of the current playing surface for each sport. This paper highlights the importance of careful consideration of the characteristics of both games and the use of equipment from both sports in the testing methods. The standards described in this paper have now been accepted by the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia and the product approval process and use of synthetic surfaces for Australian football and cricket is imminent.
Description:
Given the escalating drought conditions in Australia, synthetic surfaces have recently been explored as a viable surface option for community-level Australian football–cricket ovals. The vast majority of Australian football ovals are transformed into cricket pitches during the football off-season and hence the characteristics of both sports had to be duly considered in the development of standards that could be tested in a laboratory setting, for a synthetic turf surface. This paper describes the data collection and test methods undertaken in the development of the standards for synthetic surface use in Australian football and cricket. The paper also discusses the issues and challenges encountered during the development of standards for multi-sport synthetic surfaces to ensure player safety while maintaining the performance characteristics of both sports. Surface property and ball interaction tests were undertaken on natural playing surfaces, both in situ and in the laboratory to determine the properties of the current playing surface for each sport. This paper highlights the importance of careful consideration of the characteristics of both games and the use of equipment from both sports in the testing methods. The standards described in this paper have now been accepted by the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia and the product approval process and use of synthetic surfaces for Australian football and cricket is imminent.
Description:
Given the escalating drought conditions in Australia, synthetic surfaces have recently been explored as a viable surface option for community-level Australian football–cricket ovals. The vast majority of Australian football ovals are transformed into cricket pitches during the football off-season and hence the characteristics of both sports had to be duly considered in the development of standards that could be tested in a laboratory setting, for a synthetic turf surface. This paper describes the data collection and test methods undertaken in the development of the standards for synthetic surface use in Australian football and cricket. The paper also discusses the issues and challenges encountered during the development of standards for multi-sport synthetic surfaces to ensure player safety while maintaining the performance characteristics of both sports. Surface property and ball interaction tests were undertaken on natural playing surfaces, both in situ and in the laboratory to determine the properties of the current playing surface for each sport. This paper highlights the importance of careful consideration of the characteristics of both games and the use of equipment from both sports in the testing methods. The standards described in this paper have now been accepted by the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia and the product approval process and use of synthetic surfaces for Australian football and cricket is imminent.
Description:
Ground hardness is deemed an important consideration for player safety for sports played on natural turf surfaces. Currently, a ground hardness measure is being determined using a Clegg hammer, with the suitability for play dependent on an acceptable reading. This study aimed to examine whether a relationship between Clegg hammer readings and ground reaction forces (GRF’s) generated by a human during a drop landing exist. Fifteen male community level Australian football players were recruited for the study. Participants performed a single leg drop landing on the right leg from a 45cm box onto the force plate to record GRF’s. Ten trials were conducted for three conditions: no shock pad, thin shock pad (15mm) and thick shock pad (50mm) under a synthetic turf sample. Four consecutive Clegg hammer readings were recorded following each set of ten trials. Variables of interest were maximum vertical GRF (Max vGRF), maximum rate of loading (Max RoL) and Clegg hammer (CH) readings. Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was conducted to examine the relationship between variables and conditions. Slight to fair relationships were found between the Max vGRF and any of the four CH drops (0.181 ≤r≥ 0.189; p ≤ 0.01). This finding was similar to the relationship with Max RoL (0.209 ≤r≥ 0.217; p ≤ 0.01). When analysed for the specific shock pad condition, the relationships remained poor (r <0.1; p ≥ 0.29), with the exception of the Max RoL and the CH readings on the thick shock pad (0.1 ≤r≥ 0.2; p ≥ 0.03). The results of this study show that the ground reaction forces experienced by a human on different levels of surface hardness are significantly different to the forces on impact of the Clegg hammer. Consequently, the Clegg hammer may not be the most appropriate device for relating surface hardness to player safety, thus it is possible that the Clegg hammer alone is insufficient in globally determining ground safety.
Description:
Objective For effective sports injury prevention, information is needed about the implementation context for interventions. This study describes coaches' feedback on the implementation of an evidence-informed injury prevention programme in community junior netball using coaches' perceptions and the RE–AIM framework. Methods A lower-limb injury prevention programme (Down to Earth; D2E), for teaching safe-landing techniques, was delivered to 31 coaches from 31 junior community netball teams in a 1-h workshop. Coaches then delivered a 6-week programme at team training sessions starting in the week before the competition season commenced. 65% of coaches completed a feedback survey 17 weeks after they had delivered the programme. Results Most (88%) coaches believed that D2E improved their players' ability to perform correct landing techniques in games and that players had retained these improvements over the season. The majority (83%) indicated that an improvement in player athletic attributes was the greatest advantage of D2E, followed by a reduction in injury risk. Identified barriers to implementing D2E were running out of time and very young players finding the drills too difficult. Coaches reported that they needed more ideas for training drills that could be incorporated into their programmes and believed that their own coaching training did not adequately prepare them to implement an injury prevention programme. Conclusions Although coaches believed that D2E was effective in developing correct landing techniques, some modifications are needed to make it more suitable for younger players and coach education by accreditation courses could be improved to support the implementation of injury prevention programmes.
Description:
Objective For effective sports injury prevention, information is needed about the implementation context for interventions. This study describes coaches' feedback on the implementation of an evidence-informed injury prevention programme in community junior netball using coaches' perceptions and the RE–AIM framework. Methods A lower-limb injury prevention programme (Down to Earth; D2E), for teaching safe-landing techniques, was delivered to 31 coaches from 31 junior community netball teams in a 1-h workshop. Coaches then delivered a 6-week programme at team training sessions starting in the week before the competition season commenced. 65% of coaches completed a feedback survey 17 weeks after they had delivered the programme. Results Most (88%) coaches believed that D2E improved their players' ability to perform correct landing techniques in games and that players had retained these improvements over the season. The majority (83%) indicated that an improvement in player athletic attributes was the greatest advantage of D2E, followed by a reduction in injury risk. Identified barriers to implementing D2E were running out of time and very young players finding the drills too difficult. Coaches reported that they needed more ideas for training drills that could be incorporated into their programmes and believed that their own coaching training did not adequately prepare them to implement an injury prevention programme. Conclusions Although coaches believed that D2E was effective in developing correct landing techniques, some modifications are needed to make it more suitable for younger players and coach education by accreditation courses could be improved to support the implementation of injury prevention programmes.
Description:
We are conducting a Project “Curriculum Renewal in Exercise Science” (funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council and AAESS) with major aims to investigate the broad range of roles of Exercise Scientists in workplaces now and in the future, and to use these to align university education and work/ practical experiences to scopes of practice. The Project is using investigative tools comprising focus groups, benchmarking of this and related professions, literature reviews, surveys of practitioners and academics, and expert panels. A forum organised at “be active’09” will serve as informal focus group, and participants will have ample opportunity to have input into both the scope of practice, and possible links to university curricula and work experience. Participants will have their identity protected as all outcomes from the Project are de-identified as to the source of the information. We encourage you to attend and participate in this forum on “Curriculum Renewal in Exercise Science”.
Description:
Introduction: Certain ground conditions, including hardness, have been associated with an increased injury risk. Many sporting grounds have been deemed unplayable based on hardness measures and subsequently closed. However, most research linking injury to ground conditions has been based on subjective observations or focussed at high performance venues. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between ground hardness and injury incidence in community level Australian football. Methodology: Measurements of ground hardness, using the Clegg hammer, were recorded on eight community level football grounds between 4 and 8 times during the 2007 season. Injury data was collected by trained data collectors over the season. The 1st Clegg hammer drop was used as the hardness measure, and injuries were ranked as ‘likely’, ‘possibly’, and ‘unlikely’ to be related to grounds by three independent assessors. Results: 130 injuries were recorded at the grounds tested. The Clegg hammer measures ranged from 55 to 134 gravities (g), with four injuries sustained at readings over 120 × g. Of the 130 injuries, 12 were classified as ‘likely’ to be related to ground conditions, 29 ‘possibly’ related, 75 ‘unlikely’ and 14 unknown due to incomplete details. None of the ‘likely’ injuries were sustained on readings over 120 × g. No significant relationships were found between ground hardness and any injury profiles (0.02 < r < 0.14, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Presently, sporting grounds are being closed with hardness readings exceeding 120 × g. The results of this study provide some evidence to challenge this, however, due to low injury rates further research with a larger cohort is necessary.
Description:
Background: Minimising the likelihood of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during abrupt deceleration requires proper synchrony of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles. However, it is not known whether simple verbal instructions can alter landing muscle activity to protect the knee. Objective: To assess the efficacy of verbal instructions to alter landing muscle activity. Methods: Twenty four athletes landed abruptly in single limb stance. Sagittal plane motion was recorded with an optoelectric device, and ground reaction force and surface electromyographic data were recorded for the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and semimembranosus muscles. Subjects performed 10 landings per condition: normal landing (N); repeat normal landing (R); landing after instruction to increase knee flexion (K); and landing after instruction to recruit hamstring muscles earlier (M). Muscle bursts immediately before landing were analysed relative to initial foot-ground contact (IC). Results: The K condition resulted in significantly (p0.05) greater knee flexion at IC compared with the other conditions. The M condition did not result in earlier hamstring muscle activity, but instead caused significantly (p0.05) earlier rectus femoris onset relative to IC, with a similar trend for the vastus lateralis. As these muscles are ACL antagonists, earlier onset times would be detrimental to the ACL. Conclusions: Subjects successfully increased knee flexion during landing following the K condition instruction. However, further research is warranted to establish the efficacy of more extensive lower limb muscle retraining programmes to ensure landings that decrease susceptibility to ACL injury.
Description:
Introduction: In Australia, the National League competition (Commonwealth BankTrophy (CBT)) provided an opportunity to gain an understanding of injuries sustained at the elite level. The purpose of this review therefore is to examine the injury incidence in the CBT competition (2003–2005) and considerations for future injury prevention strategies. Methods: All players in the CBT competition are included in the injury data surveillance scheme. Each team physiotherapist is responsible for assessing, treating and recording injuries within the team. An injury is defined as any netball related physical damage that caused the athlete to miss or modify one or more training sessions, matches or both, and/or required a consultation with a health professional. Results and discussion: The exposure to risk has been estimated from the data supplied for CBT games only to be 71.4, 61.8 and 66.7 injuries per 1000 participations for 2003–2005 respectively. Game injuries account for the majority of injuries with the ankle remaining the most common site of injury across the 3-year period, despite the fact that the majority of players wear ankle tape. The knee was the second highest recorded site of injury for 2004 (14.9%) and 2005 (14%). The majority of injuries are new injuries with three most common mechanisms of injury being collision with a player, landing and overuse injury. Ongoing injury prevention strategies are warranted to reduce injuries resulting from a non-contact mechanism. In addition, training exposure is required to accurately assess the overall risk of injury in netball.
Ensuring implementation success: how should coach injury prevention education be improved if we want coaches to deliver safety programmes during training sessions?
Description:
Coaches play a major role in encouraging and ensuring that participants of their teams adopt appropriate safety practices. However, the extent to which the coaches undertake this role will depend upon their attitudes about injury prevention, their perceptions of what the other coaches usually do and their own beliefs about how much control they have in delivering such programmes. Fifty-one junior netball coaches were surveyed about incorporating the teaching of correct (safe) landing technique during their delivery of training sessions to junior players. Overall, >94% of coaches had strongly positive attitudes towards teaching correct landing technique and >80% had strongly positive perceptions of their own control over delivering such programmes. Coaches’ ratings of social norms relating to what others think about teaching safe landing were more positive (>94%) than those relating to what others actually do (63–74%). In conclusion, the junior coaches were generally receptive towards delivering safe landing training programmes in the training sessions they led. Future coach education could include role modelling by prominent coaches so that more community-level coaches are aware that this is a behaviour that many coaches can, and do, engage in.
Description:
Coaches play a major role in encouraging and ensuring that participants of their teams adopt appropriate safety practices. However, the extent to which the coaches undertake this role will depend upon their attitudes about injury prevention, their perceptions of what the other coaches usually do and their own beliefs about how much control they have in delivering such programmes. Fifty-one junior netball coaches were surveyed about incorporating the teaching of correct (safe) landing technique during their delivery of training sessions to junior players. Overall, >94% of coaches had strongly positive attitudes towards teaching correct landing technique and >80% had strongly positive perceptions of their own control over delivering such programmes. Coaches’ ratings of social norms relating to what others think about teaching safe landing were more positive (>94%) than those relating to what others actually do (63–74%). In conclusion, the junior coaches were generally receptive towards delivering safe landing training programmes in the training sessions they led. Future coach education could include role modelling by prominent coaches so that more community-level coaches are aware that this is a behaviour that many coaches can, and do, engage in.
Description:
In Australia, the vast majority of sport is played at the community level rather than at an elite level. This paper will explore the congruence of participants’ beliefs about various aspects of sports injury at the community level and their injury prevention (IP) practices. The results of the study will help to direct our efforts as injury prevention researchers and practitioners in the field. The study used survey data of 165 basketball and hockey players to explore attitudes to injury prevention using the health belief model. The study explored the benefits and barriers to injury prevention strategies such as the use of mouthguards, shin pads, taping/bracing and warming-up and cooling-down. Hockey players felt that they were significantly more susceptible to injury than basketball players. The perception of benefits and barriers as factors in injury prevention use was significantly different between the groups. Hockey players demonstrated more positive attitudes to IP use and this is borne out in their behaviours. The significant predictor of IP usage in basketball games was the number of injuries sustained. The Health Belief Model does not appear to be useful in predicting IP use in basketball. It may be possible to influence the uptake of IP use in basketball by incorporating educational programs which relate the realistic potential for individuals to be injured. In hockey, perceived barriers were the most important predictors of IP gear use, with barriers to mouthguard use being significant. The more positively participants viewed mouthguards, the more IP strategies they employed overall.
Description:
The purpose of the study was to investigate landings In netball to ascertain whether or not an extra step on landing would significantly alter the forces on the body and to Investigate the landings that were least stressful on the body. Eighteen State or Under 21 netball players participated as subjects. The subjects performed five different landing conditions at two pass heights. The five landing conditions were three legal landings consisting of a piVOt. a run-on and a two foot landing. The other two landings used an extra step technique for the pivot and run-on landings. Data were collected using two force plates. The data were analysed using an ANCOVA, with approach speed as the covariate. The range of values for peak vertical ground reaction force were from 3.53 to 5,74 BW and for peak braking force the range was from 0.83 to 1,75 BW. No Significant differences were found between each respective legal and extra step techniques. The run-on techniques exhibited lower peak forces, longer attenuation times and lower loading rates than the pivot or two foot landing conditions. The data clearly showed that there were no advantages to be gained from taking an extra step for either the pivot or run-on landing techniques. The run-on technique of landing appears to be most beneficial to reducing loads on the lower limb. Achange to the footwork rules cannot be recommended based on the results of this study.
Description:
Introduction: Neuromuscular control during high-risk sports tasks is viewed as a primary risk factor in ACL injury. Attention has also been given to the role of the hip as a possible explanation contributing to ACL injury rates. Typically neuromuscular predictors of ACL injury have arisen from lab-based assessments; however it is possible that this approach excludes important components of actual game-play that may contribute directly to injury risk. The current study therefore, examined muscle recruitment patterns (MRP) during game-play and lab-based conditions that included hip musculature, to consider strategies for lower limb control. Methods: Nine female subjects had EMG data recorded continuously during a netball game. At a subsequent session, in the lab, EMG data was also recorded for three landing conditions. Bilateral EMG was collected via telemetry for rectus femoris, biceps femoris, medial hamstring and gluteus medius. Muscle onset relative to initial contact and the subsequent pattern/s of onset for each land, for each subject, were examined. Results and discussion: Results indicate that the average number of MRP across subjects was 3.6 and 5.8 for the game-play and the lab-based conditions, respectively. When muscles crossing the knee joint were examined only, results revealed that the average number of MRP across subjects was 2.1 and 2.4 for the game-play and the lab-based conditions, respectively. Differences exist when comparing game-play and lab-based measures and the role of the hip musculature in affecting lower limb control warrants ongoing investigation in relation to ACL injury risk.