A large focus of prehab is the lower back region, one of the most commonly affected areas in both elite athletes and active young people alike. Whether it comes from long hours sitting during study or work, previous injury, or the demands of sport, the low back can be a problem for many. In our VFL program, we’re not waiting for problems to pop up, we aim to stop them before they start – the concept of prehab.
This season we saw significant improvement in players mobility and less soft tissue injuries once we introduced Pilates one night a week in our program. Our main focus was on pelvic control, core strength and activating the correct muscles with certain movement patterns. We dove deep into movement quality, building strength and stability that supports them in all areas of their lives.
To maximise the benefits of prehab, a combination of osteopathic treatment in conjunction with an exercise physiologist allows us to focus on the gym and pilates whilst also addressing the underlying cause of injury. This season, by focusing on how the body moves as a whole, we saw a decrease in soft tissue injury re-occurrence that was significant from the season before.
This kind of training isn’t just for elite footballers. Young people across all levels of activity can benefit hugely from understanding how to train smarter, not harder. Learning to control movements, load the body properly and build functional strength can reduce the risk of injury, generalised pain and can increase performance.
Low back prehab can help with a range of injuries! Whether it is chronic hamstring niggles, recurring quad strains or groin pain, increasing functional strength in the low back region can assist in resolving these chronic conditions. Studies have shown that over 10% of sports-related injuries in young adults reoccur, meaning more time away from activity. Implementing a prehab program resulted in a faster and stronger return to sport compared to athletes with the same injury who didn’t do prehab. Patients who include prehab demonstrated an optimistic attitude in returning to their optimal functional level.
From my experience, the collaboration between Osteopaths and Exercise Physiologists has promising results in preventing low back pain and building injury resilience in athletes… so maybe it’s worth considering if you would benefit from prehab in the off season, just ask us!
References:
Enhancing Post-Injury Rehabilitation: A Focus on Prehabilitation for Athletes
Sophie Swayn
Osteopath
