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  1. Current Preseason Training Program + Injury Prevention

Football Preseason Training

Football Preseason Training

The pre-season can be a challenging time for sports people and is often associated with high intensity and challenging training sessions to reach peak fitness for the upcoming season. Aussie Rules Football requires a high degree of strength, mobility, aerobic fitness and power. All of these aspects need to be addressed to achieve the optimal physical performance.  Pre-season is often a combination of the above training regimes to achieve this.  For me, it involves running, weight training, core stability training and combinations of these, performed 3-4 times per week. Unfortunately, high intensity and frequent training loads can place increased stress on the body and can lead to injury.

Common injuries during the off-season tend to be from overuse, and typically occur in the lower limb. While impact injuries, acute sprains and strains do occur, these are more common during the season proper.

  • Tendinopathy is an overuse injury that commonly affects the Achilles tendon, plantar fascia and patella tendon in footballers. Due to a range of factors the tendon is pushed to its limits and eventually becomes symptomatic – potentially causing pain and affecting the ability to train at full capacity. It is crucial to manage such injuries as quickly as possible to appropriately prevent ongoing pain and dysfunction.
  • Other common overuse injuries include anterior knee pain and shin splints. Inappropriate footwear/training surfaces, poor lower limb biomechanics and over-training all have the potential to cause these type of injuries.

Current Preseason Training Program + Injury Prevention

My current program consists of:

  • Running – long and short distance, stop-start, agility, sprinting and fartlek work.
  • Weight training – major muscle groups of upper and lower limb using weights, body weight, resistance bands and combinations of these.
  • Core stability training and mobility – via pilates or group sessions between drills.
  • Skill work using the football – often involving a variety of the above exercises.

This is divided amongst three to four sessions per week.

Training load management is another important aspect for reducing the risk of injury. While other factors may be at play and need to be addressed, it is necessary to be in tune with what your body and what it is telling you.

A gradual increase in training load and incorporating a variety of training activities can help prevent overuse injuries. Appropriate recovery within and between sessions is also a good way to reduce the impact of over-training; we currently have a two day break between sessions to ensure this.

Injury management

Occasionally injuries are sustained and require specific assessment and rehabilitation. This is achieved by careful assessment and treatment by our physiotherapists who work alongside your coaching staff to get players back on the track as quickly and safely as possible.  With preseason training so important to performance during the regular season, the sooner an injury is assessed and addressed, the less time  (if any) off preseason is required.

Pete Dal Lago

Physiotherapist


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Last week our team celebrated another great year. 

Whilst Melbourne’s weather had its own plans, we were still determined to keep with the theme of ‘Italian Summer’. We let our hair down to master the art of mixology 🍸🍹followed by an Italian feast. Friday morning Run Club with the team. Practicing what we preach!

Staying stronger, healthier and happier. This time last week, our team was nervously completing their final preparations for @melbmara . 

Congratulations to our physiotherapists and ME community who ran on the day.

Dilen and Michael completed their first marathons. Abbey and Lizzie smashed out their first half. Last Sunday, our team headed down to see our own Matt Warren win a premiership in the VAFA Premier Men’s Competition. Last week our team dedicated a full day to professional development and team building. At ME Physio we pride ourselves on collaboration to put you at the centre of everything we do. 

Our team covered the latest treatments for back pain, financial well-being and finished off the day with salsa dancing. 

Many thanks to our guests including James Schomburgk from @the2ndvisitphysio , Financial Planners Tony Vikram & Cameron Bishop and the @salsafoundation At ME Physio, our focus is on helping you get stronger so that you can keep doing the things you love.

For Tony and Joan, healthier and stronger is being able to navigate the iconic Coast to Coast Walk in the UK! We recently had the pleasure of hosting Elise Bujor from Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy to discuss women’s health issues across the lifespan. 

Our team pride themselves on staying up to date to ensure you’re able to stay healthier, happier and stronger. Huge milestones over the past few weeks with both Tom and Jude from @delasallefc doing their first bit of running in their rehab. 

Tom is on the return from an ankle dislocation whilst Jude is putting in the hard work following a knee reconstruction. Last week our team enjoyed some friendly rivalry at the footy. 

With finals around the corner, some of our team can now safely make holidays plans for September. We recently had the pleasure of hosting the podiatry team from @sespodiatry. 

Our physiotherapists Michael and Abbey presented on rehabilitation following Achilles surgical repair and ankle surgery. Last weekend some of our team got together to complete the 10 km run @runmelbourne. There was no finish line picture as some were keen to run another 15 km!

Whilst running wasn’t for some - brunch was well received by everyone. Shoulder impingement can be incredibly frustrating and painful. 

Tony has been working closely with our physiotherapists Vernon and Dilen to get on top of his shoulder pain. His treatment plan has included hands-on physiotherapy and individualised exercises in our hydrotherapy and strength programs.

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