Sports Injury Prevention: Exercise Testing and Training Program Design

This report focuses on exercise testing and training programs designed for sports injury prevention, specifically within the context of rugby. It details the importance of exercise in enhancing athlete health and performance, while also mitigating injury risks. The report outlines off-season and pre-season training programs, emphasizing the role of periodization, including microcycles and mesocycles, to optimize training phases. It addresses the prevention of common rugby injuries, such as ACL sprains and hamstring tears, and provides a structured daily and weekly exercise plan. Furthermore, the report offers guidelines for players returning to play after rehabilitation, covering considerations for ACL sprain and hamstring tear recovery, and emphasizes the importance of functional testing and preventive measures. The conclusion summarizes the benefits of these training approaches in improving athlete strength, endurance, and overall performance, supported by relevant references.

EXERCISE TESTING
TRAINING FOR SPORTS
INJURY PREVENTION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK .............................................................................................................................................1
1. Off season and pre – season training programmes for forward..............................................1
2. Strong rationales with scientific evidence for the exercise plan ............................................5
3. The training record sheet for recording data and training monitoring ................................5
4. Guideline and considerations to guide players in return to play after rehabilitation...........6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Exercise is very important for athlete to be healthy and can improve their performance
while playing the games. Also, it helps the athletes in improving their mental and physical state
which helps them in focusing on their game to achieve their goals. It allows building up strength
and endurance and also helps them in improving their skills and provide motivation and
confidence about their games. As a manger of strength and conditioning sports therapy
department of ladies rugby club to provide understanding of various training which helps the
athlete in reducing the various risk factors that result into injury and can affect the athlete career
growth.
TASK
1. Off season and pre – season training programmes for forward
Rugby is a game played between two teams in which there are fifteen players on each
side and each team can carry, pass or kick the ball to the end zone to score as many points as
possible. On this game the team scoring the maximum points is the winner. There are various
injuries that can affect the team members playing rugby that injuries consist of Spinal injuries
from scrums is the most dangerous injury which can affect the person playing Rugby.
The players are provided with proper exercise training in order to prevent them from
various injuries. There are two types of training programmes that are conducted which consist of
off- season training and pre- season training (Bahr, 2016). Off- season training is that period
when the players are resting to mentally and physically recharge for their next competition. This
season training helps the players to improve their skills and gain strength to improve their
performance for the next competition.
This training helps the players in gaining good physical condition. Pre – season training
is -provided to the players before the game starting of the game season. Pre – season training
program helps the players in developing strength, hypertrophy, power, aerobic fitness and
anaerobic fitness etc. there are various injuries that can affect the forward players of Rugby that
consist of ACL sprain, Lumbar Ivd problem, Ankle sprain, Shoulder Sprain, knee pain, cervical
sprain or neck pain (McCrory & et.al., 2017). To prevent the players from these injuries the off
– season and preseason training programs are conducted so they will be healthy and the changes
of occurring these injuries are reduced.
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There are periods divided for the annual training plan these time periods blocks have
particular goal. There are two training cycles that are used in periodization which includes
Micro cycle and mesco cycle. Micro cycle is the shortest training period which is usually
conducted for the period of one week to focus on the various exercises. Micro cycles are the
training provided for the short period in order to provide information to the athlete to complete
their training for the week. Also, mesco cycles are the period in which training take place for the
period of 3 -6 weeks and have their specific goals for that training period. It involves training for
fitness such as power, strength and endurance.
Meso cycles are broken down into micro cycles. Meso cycle 1 in pre season consist for
the period of week 1 to 3 to achieve the goals which includes increasing the aerobic fitness for
the players playing rugby. In Meso cycles 1 training is divided in to micro cycles in which
players achieve the goals in the week by performing exercises such as running, sprinting and
skills training and individual passing and tackling training. In Meso cycle 2 for pre season the
goal set is to improve speed.
In this Mesocycle the divided task which are known as Micro cycle includes training for
acceleration and footwork, sprint and skill training and game development plan that includes
unopposed and semi – opposed, team moves, unit skills etc (4 Tips for Returning to Play After an
ACL Reconstruction, 2017). Off – season Mesocycle includes long slow marathon distance
running and also there is rest day to provide strength to the players and reduce fatigue to improve
their performance by working had in this season for the next competition. There are various
phases of training that provide goals of the particular training period. There phases consist of
preparation phase, competition phase and transition phase. Preparation phase of cycle usually
take up majority of the schedule and includes the first two – third of the three – quarters.
These phase is split into two parts which consist of general preparation in which the
athlete focusses on improving their basic fitness components such as endurance, strength and
speed by doing long distance runs, lifting weights, improve speed by doing internal training. In
the another part of the training the athlete will improve its fitness level to improve their
performance for the future competitions. These phase also provide training for the various
techniques which help the athlete in winning the game. Competitive phase is divided into pre
competition and competition. Pre- competition involves experimenting and finalizing all the
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related elements in preparation for competition. This includes experimenting the strategies
formulated.
Transition phase is the recovery period for athlete in which the players does not do
intensive training and do training for the exercises such as jogs and swims. In the transition
period the athlete are provided with the rest to improve their skills and strength (Hamstring
Injury Follow-up, 2018). By using the planning for the training helps the players in determining
the period for particular training. Periodization helps them in setting goals which helps in players
in making effective schedule for their training to improve their -skills and strength.
There are various issues which are caused by training that includes muscle fatigue,
energy depletion, increased blood flow to working muscles, immediate changes on blood
pressure and heart rate. There are various chronics and cumulative effects of training that
includes increased endurance, muscle hypertrophy, increased strength and power etc. Providing
training to athlete of rugby includes various exercise to prevent the athlete from various injuries.
This training consist of sprint training which provide greater acceleration and speed.
` There are 4 points that are considered when sprinting that includes relaxed action, smooth
action, tall action and drive action. There are various training provided to the player of Rugby
that consist of strength training, plyometric training etc. the exercises provided to the rugby
players includes running, bench press, squat, clean, power snatch, dead lift, barbell curl etc.
Players of rugby in pre season are provided with training to improve their aerobic threshold and
improving their strength.
The above is the daily and weekly plan for providing strength with the use of intensity
and volume to improve the performance of the players of rugby.
Daily plan
Exercise Sunday Monday Tuesday
Wednesda
y Thursday Friday Saturday
Jump rope rest day 10 min rest day 20 min 30 min 30 min 20 min
Squat rest day 2*4 2*4 2*4 2*3 2*4 2*5
pull ups rest day 30 20 2*3 rest day 2*3 1*2
shoulder
press rest day 3*6 3*4 3*4 1*3 1*3 1*3
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barbell curl rest day 2*6 3*4 1*2 2*4 rest 1*4
bench press rest day 4*3 1*3 2*4 1*4 2*4
Dead-lift rest day 2*6 2*6 1*4 2*6 1*2 2*4
Weekly plan
Exercise Week 1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7 Week 8
Week
9
Week
10
Squat 2*3 2*4 2*4 2*4 2*3 2*4 2*5 2*4 2*4 2*3
pull ups rest day 30 20 2*3 rest day 2*3 1*2 2*3 20 rest day
shoulder
press 1*3 3*6 3*4 3*4 1*3 1*3 1*3 1*3 3*4 1*3
barbell curl 2*4 2*6 3*4 1*2 2*4 rest 1*4 rest 3*4 2*4
bench press 2*4 3*4 4*3 2*5 2*4 4*2 4*2 4*2 4*3 2*4
Dead-lift 70/ 8*3
75/
10*2 80/ 8*2 85/ 6*2 90/ 6*2
90
/06*2 95/7*2
90
/06*2 80/ 8*2 90/ 6*2
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
week
15
week
16
week
17
week
18
week
19
Week
20
Squat 2*3 2*4 2*4 2*4 2*3 2*4 2*5 2*4 2*4 2*3
pull ups rest day 30 20 2*3 rest day 2*3 1*2 2*3 20 rest day
shoulder
press 1*3 3*6 3*4 3*4 1*3 1*3 1*3 1*3 3*4 1*3
barbell curl 2*4 2*6 3*4 1*2 2*4 rest 1*4 rest 3*4 2*4
bench press 2*4 3*4 4*3 2*5 2*4 4*2 4*2 4*2 4*3 2*4
Dead-lift
70/ 8*3 75/
10*2 80/ 8*2 85/ 6*2 90/ 6*2
90
/06*2 95/7*2
90
/06*2 80/ 8*2 90/ 6*2
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There are five components of physical fitness which are used as training parameters that
consist of cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body
composition. These components are used as parameters for training in order to improve fitness
level of the athlete. Training exercises such as bench press, bicep curl etc. Are used to improve
the muscular strength.
2. Strong rationales with scientific evidence for the exercise plan
According to (Gabbett, 2016), this exercise plan will help the athlete in improving their
strength and make them fit for the competition. The plan for training is based on micro and
Meso cycle which has divided the training period into weeks and months. In the views of
(Lauersen, Bertelsen & Andersen,2014), the exercise plan consist of the various activities which
provide the athlete in building strong skills and prevent the athlete from various injuries with the
help of various exercises.
According to (Zebis & et.al., 2016), this exercise plan will help the athlete in increasing
their strength and achieving the goals within the training period on the basis of daily and weekly
classification. The exercise plan helps the athlete in keeping track of their performance progress.
It also assists in booting the energy.
3. The training record sheet for recording data and training monitoring
Exercises Set Reps Rest notes
Squats 2 3 15 min  Do not drink too
much water while
resting.
 Wear comfortable
clothes when
doing exercise.
Pull ups 2 3 10 min  Proper diet must
be taken.
Shoulder press 3 6 10 mins  Take proper sleep
after exercising.
Barbell curl 2 4 5 min  Take protein diet
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and glucose to
reduce fatigue.
Bench press 2 4 10 mins  Use equipment
properly and
intake glucose.
Dead- lift 8 3  Wear
comfortable
clothes and give
your body proper
rest.
4. Guideline and considerations to guide players in return to play after rehabilitation.
Player returning to play after ACL Sprain
In this case the players is returning to sports after the ACL sprain which is an injury of
the ligament, tough band fibrous tissue which connect the bones of upper and lower leg at the
knee. Acl sprain is also known as knee sprain. The player is returning to play from rehabilitation
after 8 months and to reduce the pain of knee sprain while playing it is required for the players to
do light exercise which will helps the player to recover quickly., ACl sprain can be reduced by
avoiding those exercises which produce pain (van der Horst & et.al., 2015). The athlete must
ensure that proper rest is provided to the body and the knee from weight bearing activities to
reduce the swelling. There are various tests done by the doctor and therapist before the player
return to the ground. There are various programs which helps in reducing the risk of Acl that
consist of stretching, strengthening and improving balance.
Player returning to play after hamstring tear
In this case the player is returning to the ground after 8 weeks from the rehabilitation.
The player was injured due to hamstring tear which is an injury in the leg that involves a tear in
one or more hamstring muscles. The players for returning to the sports must prevent the injured
part from various injuries by avoiding those exercises which will lead to pain in the hamstring
muscles. Also, the athlete before returning to the ground have to do various functional testing
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such as performing single leg hamstring bridge. Also, the athlete have to continue independent
rehabilitation after returning to the sport.
According to (Halson, 2014), the player in order to return to the sport have to take
various preventive measure to reduce the chances of recurring of the injuries by avoiding those
exercises which would provide pain in those areas which are affected by the injury.
CONCLUSION
From the above essay it has been concluded about exercise training programs for the
athlete of rugby which has helped them in increasing their strength and endurance. Also, it has
provide understanding of Micro and Meso cycles of periodization that has helped the athlete in
achieving their objectives of training. Furthermore, this essay has provided information about
the daily and weekly exercise plan which has assisted the athlete in improving their performance.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bahr, R. (2016). Why screening tests to predict injury do not work—and probably never will…:
a critical review. Br J Sports Med. 50(13). 776-780.
Gabbett, T. J. (2016). The training—injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training
smarter and harder?. Br J Sports Med. 50(5). 273-280.
Halson, S. L. (2014). Monitoring training load to understand fatigue in athletes. Sports medicine.
44(2). 139-147.
Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise
interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of
randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. 48(11). 871-877.
McCrory, P. & et.al., (2017). Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 5th international
conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016. Br J Sports Med,
bjsports-2017.
van der Horst, N. & et.al., (2015). The preventive effect of the nordic hamstring exercise on
hamstring injuries in amateur soccer players: a randomized controlled trial. The
American journal of sports medicine. 43(6). 1316-1323.
Zebis, M. K. &b et.al., (2016). Effects of evidence-based prevention training on neuromuscular
and biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury in adolescent female athletes: a
randomised controlled trial. Br J Sports Med. 50(9). 552-557.
Online
Hamstring Injury Follow-up. 2018. [Online]. Available
through :<https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/90881-followup>
4 Tips for Returning to Play After an ACL Reconstruction. 2017. [Online]. Available
through :<http://www.athletico.com/2017/10/13/4-tips-returning-play-acl-
reconstruction/>
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