We often see an increase in injuries when there is a spike in activity- pre season or returning to sport after a holiday are good examples of this. With all sporting league and activities currently on hold, it is important to try and maintain your fitness as much as possible to avoid this spike in load on your return to sport when allowed. Here are some tips to keep you active over the next couple of months:
1. Try and maintain a schedule- if you are used to training twice a week then continue to allocate two sessions a week to ‘at home training’. Keeping a consistent load will help avoid any major drops or spikes in load which are often linked to soft tissue injuries. The Department of Health recommend kids aim for 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day while adults should aim for 30 minutes
2. Sport specific injury prevention programs- now is a great time to complete these programs such as the FIFA 11+ for soccer or KNEE program for netball. Both of these programs incorporate strengthening exercises that can be done with very little space needed. They aim to improve your strength, balance and co-ordination to help prevent soft tissue injuries and improve your movement efficiency. Aim to complete
a strength program like this 2-3 times per week, it should take roughly 20 mins per session.
3. Break up your ‘at home training’ into cardio, strength and skill if possible. Access to fields and equipment is limited so get creative! Your cardio may now be riding a bike (stationary or out on a path/road), swimming in your pool at home or going out for a run around the neighbourhood. If you don’t have a home gym set up your strengthening can be done with body weight exercises, injury prevention programs
(ideas listed above) or via virtual classes. There are a few Pilates studios/gyms offering virtual exercise classes that you can complete at home.
4. Don’t forget to warm up/cool down- just like your usual sport training session would include a warm up, don’t forget to do this as part of your ‘at home training’ as well. This could be as simple as a brisk walk, light jog, dynamic stretches etc for your warm up.
5. Good time to get your niggles sorted- have you been struggling with a bit of soreness/tightness on and off so far this year? Now is a great time to see your physio for an assessment and work on any rehab while the season is on hold so you can return fit and ready to go!
2. Sport specific injury prevention programs- now is a great time to complete these programs such as the FIFA 11+ for soccer or KNEE program for netball. Both of these programs incorporate strengthening exercises that can be done with very little space needed. They aim to improve your strength, balance and co-ordination to help prevent soft tissue injuries and improve your movement efficiency. Aim to complete
a strength program like this 2-3 times per week, it should take roughly 20 mins per session.
3. Break up your ‘at home training’ into cardio, strength and skill if possible. Access to fields and equipment is limited so get creative! Your cardio may now be riding a bike (stationary or out on a path/road), swimming in your pool at home or going out for a run around the neighbourhood. If you don’t have a home gym set up your strengthening can be done with body weight exercises, injury prevention programs
(ideas listed above) or via virtual classes. There are a few Pilates studios/gyms offering virtual exercise classes that you can complete at home.
4. Don’t forget to warm up/cool down- just like your usual sport training session would include a warm up, don’t forget to do this as part of your ‘at home training’ as well. This could be as simple as a brisk walk, light jog, dynamic stretches etc for your warm up.
5. Good time to get your niggles sorted- have you been struggling with a bit of soreness/tightness on and off so far this year? Now is a great time to see your physio for an assessment and work on any rehab while the season is on hold so you can return fit and ready to go!