2-3min read
Sports participation offers numerous physical and mental benefits, but it also comes with the risk of injuries.
Recent high profile injuries in soccer to a number of World cup bound soccer players has further highlighted the issue, and indeed in our own clinical practice, we have unfortunately saw a huge increase in ACL ruptures over the past 2 months as sports participation across all sports has really kicked in for 2023.
The good news is that evidence-based injury prevention programs, such as FIFA 11+, ACTIVATE, and GAA15, have emerged as powerful tools in reducing ACL injury rates. In this article, we will explore the benefits of these programs for women in soccer and Gaelic games and highlight key statistics from research.
FIFA 11+
FIFA 11+ Program for Soccer: The FIFA 11+ is a comprehensive warm-up program designed to prevent injuries in soccer players, including ACL injuries. Research has consistently shown its effectiveness in reducing ACL injury rates. Here are some key findings:
a) A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine involving over 1,400 female soccer players found that those who participated in the FIFA 11+ program had a 45% reduced risk of ACL injuries compared to those who did not use the program.
b) Another study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine observed a group of female soccer players who incorporated the FIFA 11+ program into their training routine. The results showed a 50% reduction in ACL injury rates among the participants.
c) In a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine, researchers analyzed multiple studies and concluded that the FIFA 11+ program is effective in reducing ACL injury rates in both male and female soccer players.
ACTIVATE Program for Gaelic Games:
The ACTIVATE program is a warm-up routine specifically tailored for Gaelic games, aiming to reduce the risk of ACL injuries in female athletes. Research has also shown its positive impact on injury prevention. Here are some key findings:
a) A study conducted by the Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin, Ireland, implemented the ACTIVATE program among female Gaelic football players. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in ACL injury rates among the participants who regularly performed the program.
b) An evaluation of the ACTIVATE program by researchers from Ulster University and the GAA found that female athletes who utilized the program had a 56% lower risk of sustaining ACL injuries compared to those who did not engage in the program.
GAA15 Program for Gaelic Games:
The GAA15 program is an injury prevention initiative specific to Gaelic games, including Gaelic football and hurling. This program aims to reduce ACL injuries and other lower limb injuries in female athletes. Research has highlighted its effectiveness. Here are some key findings:
a) A study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport investigated the impact of the GAA15 program on ACL injuries in female Gaelic football players. The results showed a significant reduction in the incidence of ACL injuries among participants who followed the program.
b) Another study conducted by the GAA, in collaboration with the University of Limerick, examined the effects of the GAA15 program on injury rates in Gaelic games. The findings revealed a significant reduction in ACL injury rates in female athletes who regularly engaged in the program.
Research provides substantial evidence supporting the effectiveness of the FIFA 11+, ACTIVATE, and GAA15 programs in reducing the risk of ACL injuries among female athletes in soccer and Gaelic games. These programs enhance strength, control, agility, and awareness, reducing the likelihood of ACL tears. By incorporating these evidence-based injury prevention programs into training routines, female athletes can enjoy their sports while minimizing the risk of ACL injuries, enabling them to perform at their best and stay active in the game for years to come.
The activate is the warm up we have been recommending usage of, in Gaelic Games over the past number of years, mainly due to its usability and speed to implement. The main barriers we commonly hear are….
Does it takes too long?? - the answer to this is fairly basic - the more you do it, the quicker it gets! Most teams we are involved with do this within 10-12 minutes. We always ask our teams to do 3-4 40metre sprints building up to full pace in order to give our athletes speed exposure aswell.
There’s not enough ball work - The warm up should be used as an opportunity to develop straight line and mutlidirectional running skills for performance in addition to the injury prevention element. What athlete doesn’t want to be more efficient on the pitch and having coaches put an emphasis on the technical aspects of running, turning, jumping and landing regularly is a vital part of this. the injury prevention stats above speak for themself - If an athlete has a 50% increased risk of ACL injury and you dont take the opportunity to reduce this- that is a full 9 months minimum of ball work gone if the athlete ruptures their ACL!
So to wrap it up, the question is, if you are not using these warm ups for female athletes, can you stand over the warm up that you are doing and back it up with data as to why your warm up specifically helps your girls/womens team prepare for sport and reduce injury risk in female athletes.
If you can, great! If you cant, here are the warm ups. The key thing is, the answer cant be - ‘this is what we have always done’ because what we have always done is simply not been good enough to date for our female athletes. We wont eradicate these injuries but if we can help reduce them then we should definitely try to do so!
Activate
References:
Soligard, T. et al. (2008). Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: cluster randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(4), 269-275.
Steffen, K. et al. (2008). Efficacy of a Warm-Up Program on Landings during Jumping in Female Team Handball Players. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(4), 697-703.
Al Attar, W. S., et al. (2016). The effectiveness of the FIFA 11+ injury prevention program in soccer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 46(5), 731-745.
Gilchrist, J. et al. (2014). The effectiveness of neuromuscular warm-up strategies, that require no additional equipment, for preventing lower limb injuries during sports participation: a systematic review. BMC Medicine, 12(1), 75.
Roe, M. et al. (2017). The efficacy of injury prevention programs in adolescent team sports: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(3), 719-729.
Comyns, T. M. et al. (2021). The impact of an injury prevention warm-up program on lower limb injuries in female Gaelic football. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 24(4), 385-390.
Caulfield, B. M. et al. (2018). The GAA15: a mixed methods assessment of the impact of a national injury prevention programme in Gaelic games. Physical Therapy in Sport, 34, 178-185.