Pre-season can be the most dreaded period for any profession or amateur athlete alike. With some sports seasons now getting longer and longer, people are keen to make the most of their off-season and sometimes “enjoy” themselves too much or really just do nothing in their off-season.
As a physio, pre-season is the time we see people picking up little niggles and injuries that could have been prevented. Worse still, sometimes, if not managed well these injuries last well into or through a season. Pre-season really can be a make or break time.
Common things I see are:
- Tendonosis
- Aching joints
- Muscle sprains
These all seem to happen due to one thing, poor preparation.
In professional sport I check athletes each season, to review where there may be weaknesses and what that individual needs to work on to prevent injury through the season, where possible. The reason this is important is that if one body area is much stronger or more mobile than the other, it can cause overuse of that area and possibly an injury down the line.
Another thing I do is look at training loads, because the body can only tolerate small increases in training over a short period of time, before it starts to get sore and break down.
Some things to consider doing in your off-season before returning to training:
- Have an off-season plan that helps maintain specific strength and fitness but still allows you time away to recover and relax
- Know your strengths and weaknesses and what you need to focus on in the season ahead
With this in mind, why not book in for a full strength review using our AxIT system or to have a plan in place before you pick up any niggles.
To book an AxIT session with Jamie click here
