German researchers have set up a warm-up program capable of dividing players’ injuries in half over a season. A study supported by FIFA.
It is very common for a footballer to get injured on the pitch. In 2014, UEFA published a report on injuries in elite clubs for the 2012/2013 season in order to “reduce the frequency and severity of bodily injury” suffered in the field. Injuries to the lower limbs, including the hips, thighs, knees, ankles and feet are most common in footballers. According to a Swedish study carried out in 2017, 3% of head injuries and 7% of back injuries were also recorded. On average, a player would have a 12.1% risk of being injured during training or a match.
A protocol to avoid injuries in the field
The problem is such that scientists at the University of Basel in Germany have devised a warm-up program specially designed for children and aimed at reducing football injuries by 50%. A total of 243 teams comprising around 3,900 children from four different European countries participated in the study. The characteristics of injuries in children differ from those seen in youth and adults. “For example, children are more likely to suffer from fractures or injuries to the upper limbs”, explains Dr Oliver Faude of the University of Basel. A team of experts therefore set up a 20-minute warm-up, called the “11 + Kids” program, which includes seven warm-up exercises to be performed at the start of certain workouts.
The researchers made two groups: while the first carried out his training as usual, the second warmed up regularly with the “11 + Kids” program. After one season, they found that the injury rate for the team that went through the program was 48% lower than that of the control group, while the serious injury rate was down 74%. The results of this study, supported by FIFA, demonstrate that a proper warm-up program can prevent a large percentage of injuries provided it is performed once or even twice a week.
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