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Musculoskeletal screening
Musculoskeletal screening involves gathering information about each individual’s injury history and conducting a series of sport specific examinations to determine any deficits in muscle strength, stability, control and length as well as joint structure, stability alignment and function that may contribute to an increased risk of injury. There is increasing evidence that injury rates can be reduced through the implementation of sports specific screenings. Numerous AFL football clubs attribute lower incidences of soft tissue injuries to stringent screening protocols that enabled for at risk athletes to be identified. Another notable example of the benefits of screening come from the English Premier League with Ruud van Nistelrooy a Dutch player rupturing his ACL within days of failing his musculoskeletal screening at Manchester United.
Screenings allow physiotherapists to gain information about:
- Past and current injuries allow for improved injury management and prevention
- Identify areas of deficit or weakness that can be targeted with specific exercise prescription
- Track physical changes over time and responses to training load in developing athletes allowing for improved management of high training and competition loading
- Allows for correct exercise prescription for optimum musculoskeletal conditioning to allow for effective sports strengthening and physiotherapy.
So when should athletes be screened?
Ideally at the earliest opportunity, such as prior to joining a high level squad or team. Initially a full screening should be performed to allow the physio to gain an in-depth understanding of the athletes musculoskeletal profile and therefore develop an appropriate training and exercise plan.
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Here are a couple of core exercises that relate directly to football:
- Double leg sit to stand
- Standing drive through
About Physiohealth
What we do:
- With a combined experience of over 30 years of working in football our physiotherapists have developed the following important initiatives;
- Football specific functional screenings that analysis movement patterns
- Football specific core, balance and stability (CBS) programs to aid the development of elite players both physically and technically by improving their movement patterns
- Football specific return to sport and rehabilitation programs for injured players
- Injury prevention and education programs at a local community level based on years of research into a large number of football related injuries
- Education of strapping courses at local community clubs
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