Injury Prevention 2006 and Beyond

I recently returned from the second FIFA World Futbol Sports Medicine Conference in Düsseldorf Germany. At the conference, injury prevention in soccer was a major focus. The development of "The 11" is a hallmark effort of the sports medicine arm of FIFA. "The 11" compromises 10 evidence based exercises being enhanced by education and promotion of fair play. The program is designed to reduce soccer injuries such as muscle strains, ankle sprains and ligament injuries to the knee. The exercises are simple and require no equipment. They should be incorporated into practice and involve only 10-15 minutes of time.

These exercises focus on three main areas: Core stabilization, eccentric hamstring training, and plyometric/balance training with straight leg alignment. Core stabilization is the foundation of injury prevention. Eccentric hamstring exercises decrease risk of hamstring strains. Plyometric and balance training help athletes avoid injury by better control of the body in at risk position where injury rates are high.

The core exercises involve "the bench", "sideways bench", and "cross country skiing". The "Russian hamstring" increases eccentric hamstring strength. Proprioception (balance control in space) and traditional balance exercise involve 3 single leg stance exercises. Alignment training involves bent knee/bent hip alignment especially when cutting and straight alignment with toes over knees without inward collapse. Dynamic stabilization and jumping technique are trained through "jump over a line", "zigzag shuffle", and "bounding run." Emphasis on bent knee/bent hip with toes over knees alignment is emphasized throughout. Finally a strong emphasis on fair play is important. A high percentage of soccer injuries result from foul play and decreasing fouls makes the game safer.

Remember injuries are part of the game but prevention training can make them less frequent. For more information on the ll go to www.FIFA.com and click on "The 11" or contact me at The Ohio Orthopedic Center of Excellence at 614-827-8700.