Injury Prevention Program
KickStr8 (2017 © All rights reserved)
The KickStr8 Injury Prevention Program (2017 © All rights reserved) aims to assess musculoskeletal disorders and improve motor control of young football players. The program started as a research evaluation program and has been completed in three stages, proving its effectiveness and usefulness.
The first study aimed to identify and record posture and muscle dysfunction asymmetries in young football players. The research involved 610 young football players aged 5 to 18, an innovation for the Cypriot data. The results provided new information and data about the young players and the characteristics of each age group.
As a follow-up to the first, the second study aimed to prevent injuries through intervention corrective exercise programs in 100 players aged 13 to 18 years. The individual exercise programs were created based on the individual measurements of pre-symptomatic screening of young football players. The purpose of each correctional program was to improve posture and correct musculoskeletal disorders. The results showed injuries reduction from 38.3% to 18.1%. In addition, there was an improvement in motor control, in the asymmetries of the spine (scoliotic, kyphotic, and lordotic posture), and muscle flexibility of the lower extremities such as hamstrings (biceps), hip abductors and adductors, and quadriceps, on both sides of the body. The second study compared and analyzed data from two consecutive football seasons (from the preparation period to the middle of the season).
It is important to mention that interventional research was carried out in Cyprus for the first time.
The third study investigated whether musculoskeletal asymmetries affect performance in elite football players. Fifty elite football players aged U15 and U17 were evaluated. The results indicated that musculoskeletal asymmetries (kyphotic and scoliotic posture, asymmetry in the pelvis, muscles tightness of the lower extremities) negatively influence and reduce parameters of football performance, such as neuromuscular strength and neuromuscular explosive strength. In addition, each player received correctional exercise programs.
The approach of young football players should be different, aiming to preserve talents during their development period up to the age of 18. Thus, they remain at the disposal of the coach and their team without wasting valuable hours in their development, sustaining increased possibilities for a future career.
