Enhance Performance and Reduce Injury

http://activategaa.sini.co.uk/

Tutors: Roger Keenan/Tony Scullion

Date: 19/02/14

Outcomes

• Understand Activate GAA

• Background

• GAA Specific

• Structure & Design

• Implementation

• Setup

• Activate is a comprehensive warm up designed to be specific for GAA players to enhance performance and to prevent injuries.

• Comprehensive- once completed players can progress to full intensity training/play.

• Performance enhancing- players will have improved movement skills- specifically running mechanics, ability to change direction, balance and stability.

• Prevention of injury. If carried out regularly over months this will reduce the leg injuries sustained in a squad.

Why is it necessary? The bad news.• Perceived increase in the incidence of Anterior

Cruciate Ligament Injuries in the GAA in Ulster.

• No firm evidence, perception within GAA is affected by high profile injuries and headlines like the “cruciate curse” eg Paddy and Eoin Bradley, Tyrone ladies.

• As females involved in field sports are more at risk and their playing numbers are increasing the number of ACL injuries is expected to increase.

Gaelic Groin/ACL Work Groups!Ulster GAA in partnership with SINI Sports Medical Staff invited key parties to address the increase in Gaelic groin & ACL Injuries

The group included :

• GAA coaches and GAA team “trainers”

• Physiotherapists -practicing with County teams and Specialists in Regional trauma/Orthopaedics at RVH,

• Sports Physicians (SINI and County team Doctors)

• Orthopaedic Knee Consultant

Working Group Findings

• Agreement that anecdotally ACL injury appears to be an increasing problem.

• Recurrence rates seemed high.• Increasing number of complex knee ligament injuries.• An increase in Ladies GAA participation brings with it an

expectant increase in ACL injuries.• Higher rates seemed to be occurring in some counties. • Delay in diagnosis of an ACL tear and players making these

injuries worse by returning to play on unstable knees.

Over 60% non-contact

The position of no return

The good news!Injury prevention warm ups can reduce theoccurrence of ACLs. Must include the followingthough:•Plyometrics (jumping and bounding)•Core Strength•Leg strength•Balance and co-ordination•Coach feedback on control

.

• Strong evidence demonstrates that by

coaching movement and running skills,

increasing leg and trunk strength and by

optimising landing, cutting and deceleration

mechanics we can significantly reduce injuries

to the groin, hamstring, knee and ankle.

• The most compliant coaches and squads i.e.

those who perform the exercises regularly with

good technique have the least injuries and have

more players available for matches.

How?

Injury Prevention warm upsTyrone Minor Experience 2011-2013.

2012 Injury Prevention Strategy. Martin Loughran Chartered Physiotherapist.

• Functional Movement Screening and corrective programmes implemented.

• Focus on injury prevention• Adopted FIFA 11+ warm up as per protocol for

every training session/game• Introduced S&C coaching to Dev. Squads• Partial Supervision of S & C programmes• Adoption of SINI/Ulster GAA Gaelic Groin

Guidelines

2013 Injury Prevention

• Injury prevention work from 2011/12 carried forward

• Modified the FIFA 11+ (lasted 12 mins)

• Groin monitoring system

• Supervised S & C programme

• Reduced training sessions to max 75 mins including warm up

Injury rate per 1000 hours (training & games)

Performance

• 2011: Beaten in UMFC semi final

• 2012: Unbeaten in ulster league and championship

• 2013: Ulster & All Ireland Finalists

The coaches' experience • "No-brainer"• GPS and Heart Rate appropriate • "Easy to run" saved on phone, learnt in 3-4

sessions• "Player buy-in high for a warm up"• "If coach is organised then grids can be used

for drills afterwards"• No issues from manager/coach regarding

amount of ball work

• Warm ups allow the coach an opportunity to

regularly expose the squad to the exercises and to

“switch on” the correct muscles and motor

patterns in preparation for intense activity.

• Warm ups have previously been shown to be the

most reliable way for the coach to reduce injuries.

• Success is dependant on giving feedback on

technique

Why a warm-up routine?

5 m

5 mThe coach needs five minutes to set up the 10 cones in a channel . When

coaching a squad of more than 15 we suggest setting up two channels side by

side.

Phase 1:

Running, Cutting and

Landing Mechanics – 5 x 2

Five drills are completed in

which the first part is

performed moving out through

the centre of the channel, and

the second part returning

down the sides of the

channel. Each drill is

performed twice

Phase 2: Strength, Plyometrics and

Balance – 10 x 10

A circuit of ten exercises is performed

with the squad spread out around the

coach. Players should operate in pairs

with one ball between a pair if

available. Each exercise is performed

for a total of 10 repetitions or held for

10 seconds.

There are two levels: 1 and 2 which

should be rotated every month.

Squads carry out the Level 1 circuit for

one month before progressing to the

Level 2 circuit in which several of the

exercises are more dynamic or require

greater strength. Upon completion of

the Level 2 circuit for one month,

squads should then alternate monthly

between levels 1 and 2. This is in

order to return the players’ focus to the

control and perfection of technique

required in the level 1 exercises.

Phase 3: Agility and Power – 5 x 2

Five drills are completed: three moving out through the central channel and

returning down the sides, and two performed on the base line.

All three phases of Activate should be implemented before training with only

phases 1 and 3 necessary before games. Once completed, the coach can then

deliver any preferred drills or small sided games at full pace. Whilst Activate

contains a dynamic flexibility component, the coach can add any other specific

stretching/flexibility exercises to the routine.

Remember: Allowing players to carry out the exercises without feedback and accepting

poor technique will not reduce injuries. Time spent early in the season perfecting

technique will produce greater athleticism and reduced injury frequency later in the year.

Key Messages• Improving running skills will help reduce

hamstring and groin injuries.

• Greater activation of hamstrings and glutesreduces shear in knee and protects ACL.

• Improved core, hip and leg strength improves ability to hold knee in a better position

Thus….

Improving how we move.

http://activategaa.sini.co.uk