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For athletes at every level, injury prevention (or injury risk reduction) is key to ongoing participation and enjoyment in sport. Primary injury prevention refers to reducing the risk of initial injury, as opposed to reducing the risk of re-injury. History of injury (or injuries) may have a significant impact on an athletes risk of re-injury and ability long-term.
For effective injury risk reduction, it is important to consider the unique range of factors that may contribute to an individual’s risk of injuries. It is particularly helpful to take note of an athlete’s training history and injury history, as well as a basic idea of their physical demands outside of sport. Gathering this information relies on open and honest communication between coach and athlete.
Use of simple strategies to gauge athlete training demands and wellbeing can also be extremely valuable here. Pre-training athlete check-ins (to check for fatigue, stress, soreness, and sleep etc.) and measures of exertion or load are all great starting points. Coaches can advocate for player wellbeing by facilitating open and respectful communication and supporting positive injury risk reduction and injury management processes. For an overview on injury risk reduction, visit our Understanding Injury Risk Reduction page.
Early Injury Prevention
When it comes to primary injury prevention (avoiding initial injury), promoting practices that reduce injury risk early in sporting endeavours is key!
For young players or those relatively new to the sport, building physical capacity in a gradual way is an excellent place to start. This means inclusion of a structured preseason or pre-event period which initially focuses on developing a good ‘base fitness’ (primarily strength and endurance). It is important to acknowledge that healthy adaptation takes time, with significant increases in strength and other physical capacities seen after about 8-12 weeks of adequate training. For athletes at every level, appropriate recovery strategies and adequate rest should also be prioritised within and between bouts of exercise.