P-19 Individual physical monitoring for elite women’s international soccer players: an educational programme

• Published in: British journal of sports medicine Vol. 50; no. Suppl 1; pp. A41 - A42
• Main Authors: Davies, Oliver GD, McKenna, Michael M, White, Andrew D, Boyce, Stephen H, Dixon, Mark W, Elliott, Niall
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Injuries; Soccer
• ISSN: 0306-3674; 1473-0480
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-097120.72

AimTo monitor individual player specific physical range of movement scores to inform and educate players around self-management, readiness to train and injury risk.MethodInjury epidemiological studies in elite female soccer have highlighted risk around knee and ankle ligamentous injuries and muscular injuries to the thigh and calf. Aetiological factors are suggested to be direct trauma, biomechanical imbalances, poor mobility, strength imbalances and training load. A group of 28 elite female soccer players were assessed each morning during international team camps in the following objective physical markers: Sit and reach distance, Knee to wall distance and Thomas test hip range of movement. Average scores were used to educate players and individually tasked with completing specific self-management modalities to improve these scores before entering a risk environment.ResultsAll players completed the self-directed objective tests. The physical markers were averaged out and players given individual red, amber and green scores. The markers were discussed amongst the sports medicine team and concerns regarding a player’s health and fitness relayed to the coaching staff. The player was tasked with completing self directed individualised exercises to improve any flagged scores. They were also tasked with completing this in their club environment and improvement in physical markers scores was noted on subsequent camp entries.ConclusionBy using specific physical markers which were individual to each player we were able to track and inform of any flagged scores during the camp morning health check. This enabled us to give a clear understanding of player readiness to train as well as informing and educating the player on how they could improve their scores through self management modalities therefore decreasing injury risk. Initial findings through injury surveillance suggest a decrease in lower limb muscle related injuries.