PROTECT YOUR KNEES FOR CAREER LONGEVITY

July 15, 2009

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has released reports promoting performance training for injury prevention.  Athletes can reduce their risk of ACL and other knee injuries by performing drills that require power, balance and agility.  Couple those drills with plyometric exercises two to three times a week, and you are dramatically increasing your likelihood of remaining injury free.

WARM-UP TO SPEED UP

To run faster with any efficiency it is important to do  warm-up movements.  It is something that you must do before each training session.  The warm-up is pre-activity movements that have a very specific objective of preparing the body for the demand of the training session to come.  Warm-up is the bridge from the normal daily activity to the training session. Based on scientific research, the warm-up is designed to boost body temperature, increase blood flow to working muscles, activate muscle groups, stimulate the nervous system, and enhance joint mobility. Performing the warm-up correctly prepares the Athlete for success while decreasing the potential for injury when doing explosive running activities.

PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT

The physiological responses elicited by warm-up activity not only prepare the body for movement, but also carry out significant functions in enhancing the athletic performance
to follow. One response to warm-up is the elevation of core body temperature. This rise in temperature should be exhibited by a mild perspiration.  From a performance aspect, an increased range of motion in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments allows for improvements in movement mechanics as well as force production.

In addition to core body temperature, the temperature of working muscles also increases as a response to warm-up. Compared to cold muscles, a warm muscle contracts with more force and relaxes in a shorter amount of time. The ability of muscles to contract more forcefully and relax more quickly enhances both strength and speed during training or competition. Another goal of warm-up is to increase oxygen delivery to working muscles via increased blood flow.

A proper warm-up utilizes movements that progress from simple to complex. As a warm-up becomes more physically and mentally demanding, the muscular and neuromuscular
systems are provided the opportunity to gradually reach training intensity without under working or over-fatiguing the athlete. When a warm-up contains challenging and unique movements, the neuromuscular system is activated and progressively reaches a peak arousal level at the onset of training or competition.  Performance is further enhanced by warm-up when the movements being utilized duplicate or are similar to those learned or practiced in prior training sessions. In this scenario, valuable motor skills are rehearsed while serving as a warm-up.

INJURY PREVENTION

While there are various intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to sport-related injury, proper warm-up can considerably reduce the chance of injury. A well planned out warm-up activity can result in increased range of motion. The goal of any exercise program should be to aid in injury prevention.

ACTIVE DYNAMIC WARM-UP

Active dynamic warm-up consists of multi-joint, multi-muscle movements that are functional, similar to sport movements, and extend the dynamic range of motion of
joints. Warm-up patterns contribute to improved balance, coordination, concentration levels, and prepares flexibility and mobility necessary to perform sport skills.

When compared to static stretching, dynamic warm-up appears to be a more appropriate method for performance training preparation. Static stretching is the most basic form of stretching. Static stretching is a slow, controlled type of stretch that involves no bouncy or ballistic tight movements. The stretch is held for anywhere between five and 30 seconds. Research has shown that static stretching can reduce strength and power by as much as 20% per training session.

Actually if an athlete executes a static stretching routine and then attempts a maximal vertical jump, chances are they would jump below their normal or optimal
performance.


Sample Dynamic Warm-up Drills
Jumping Jacks        1 x 15
Run In Place            15-Seconds
Walking Knee Hugs        1 x 10 yds.
Skip Forward            1 x 10 yds.
Straight Leg March        1 x 10 yds.
Forward Lunge Walking    1 x 10 yds.
Shuffle Right            1 x 10 yds.
Shuffle Left            1 x 10 yds.
Backpedal Run        1 x 10 yds.
Carioca Right            1 x 10 yds.
Carioca Left            1 x 10 yds.

The warm-up prior to a training session or sports activity or game is a key component to improving performance. Once muscles are warmed-up properly the athlete can now focus on moving more efficiently at a much higher level.  A properly warmed-up muscle correlates to a more explosive and faster athlete.

Allan Johnson, MS,CSCS, MSCC
Sports Performance Director
Hall of Fame Chiropractic Sports Performance & Training Center
304-865-4255

-Allan is a former Strength and Conditioning Coach of 23 years at Ohio State University, West Virginia University, and the Baltimore Orioles.  Allan is a motivational, corporate speaker, coach, consultant and serves on several national strength and conditioning and editorial boards throughout the country.

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