As the rugby world cup is now in it’s final stages, today we bring you some information on minimizing risk for rugby injuries.
Rugby injuries
Are very common due to the high intensity and physical nature of the sport. Here we bring you some key points from an interesting article written by a former Saracens Physiotherapist discussing ways to minimize injury risk during rugby.
- Eccentric (muscles lengthening as they contract) exercises such as slowly controlling the lowering phase of squats, deadlifts, alongside high speed functional drills may help to prevent hamstrings strains and protect the ACL (Knee ligament)
- Calf muscle stretching and strengthening alongside single leg balance/stability exercises are advised to help minimize the chance of ankle sprains and calf muscle strains, which are common with scrummaging in the front row and general play.
- Good Latissimus Dorsi (“Lat”)muscle flexibility and strength (e.g. deadlifts and pull ups) coupled with good general shoulder function (movement and motor control) will help stabilize the shoulder during tackling and pulling motions.
- Having good flexibility and strength of the neck can help protect the neck during physical moves such as “clearing out”. Good shoulder and hip flexibility, alongside strength and movement control through range of motion of these joints can also help take stress of the spine.
- Managing recovery, training loads (weight training, running, physical contact sessions) and nutrition is key to being able to perform at your best and decrease the chance of injury
Tips
These are some good practical tips to help with your training. You also need to make sure that your training is personal to you and your body, thinking about the position you play, your training/playing schedule, previous injuries and recovery. A physiotherapist can help identify areas that you need to work on and guide your training program accordingly.
If you would like some help with injury prevention or recovering from a sports injury then you can call us on 02086030040 or email info@kenphysio.com
And most importantly..
GO THE ALL BLACKS!
http://www.csp.org.uk/your-health/sports-advice/five-ways-minimise-risk-rugby-injuries