Pre-training assessments to prevent injuries

Sports Therapist Janice Clook says it is important for rugby and league team coaches to put their players through a pre-training assessment to pick up any injuries before actual training starts.
She calls this a return to training assessment.
Clook applies two recognized pre-participation assessment systems called “League Smart” and “Rugby Ready.”
Basically, the rugby ready system is a series of checks to ensure a player is “rugby ready.”
The system assesses a player’s readiness through player profiling.
Clook says this is an established method of assessing players. A good profile will help coaches ascertain if a player is ready to play rugby.
A typical profile will have personal details, medical history, cardiac information, health and fitness information, history of injuries and previous exposure to the game.
Clook says it is important that special attention be given to a player’s age, physique, skill, fitness, pre-existing injuries, history of concussion, neck injuries and degenerative conditions.
A Physiotherapist or Sports Trainer should test such things as a player’s strength, speed, balance, flexibility, aerobic endurance and anaerobic endurance.
The rugby ready system also covers such matters as Lifestyle and Injury Management.
Under Lifestyle players should ensure their physical and mental health by wearing the proper protective gear and playing to the rules to prevent injuries. They should also observe basic hygiene rules in relation to water bottles and cleaning mouth guards. Good nutrition is also a key factor to ensure proper diet for the required energy levels in a game. After the game, players should allow themselves proper rest and recovery.
Under injury management the three most important things are identification of the injury, rehabilitation and return to playing the game. This will be looked at in the next issue.

Janice Clook runs the “Are Meitaki Natural Therapy Clinic” has been helping senior sports people prepare for training and assisting with their conditioning and injuries during the sporting season. More recently her focus has been on Rugby and League and especially for the Arorangi Bears and Cowboys senior teams. Her aim is to improve men’s physical health, mental focus and sportsmanship. She is the only person providing such a sports fitness service

By Charles Pitt

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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