TY - JOUR
T1 - Exercise-Based Injury Prevention in High-Level and Professional Athletes
T2 - Narrative Review and Proposed Standard Operating Procedure for Future Lockdown-Like Contexts After COVID-19
AU - Martens, Géraldine
AU - Delvaux, François
AU - Forthomme, Bénédicte
AU - Kaux, Jean François
AU - Urhausen, Axel
AU - Bieuzen, François
AU - Leclerc, Suzanne
AU - Winkler, Laurent
AU - Brocherie, Franck
AU - Nedelec, Mathieu
AU - Morales-Artacho, Antonio J.
AU - Ruffault, Alexis
AU - Macquet, Anne Claire
AU - Guilhem, Gaël
AU - Hannouche, Didier
AU - Tscholl, Philippe M.
AU - Seil, Romain
AU - Edouard, Pascal
AU - Croisier, Jean Louis
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 Martens, Delvaux, Forthomme, Kaux, Urhausen, Bieuzen, Leclerc, Winkler, Brocherie, Nedelec, Morales-Artacho, Ruffault, Macquet, Guilhem, Hannouche, Tscholl, Seil, Edouard and Croisier.
PY - 2021/12/17
Y1 - 2021/12/17
N2 - In regular times, implementing exercise-based injury prevention programs into the training routine of high-level and professional athletes represents a key and challenging aspect to decrease injury risk. Barriers to implementing such prevention programs have previously been identified such as lack of resources, logistic issues or motivation. The COVID-19 pandemic associated with restrictions on daily life dramatically impacted sports participation from training to competition. It is therefore reasonable to assume that such lockdown-like context has exacerbated the challenge to implement exercise-based injury prevention programs, potentially leading to a greater musculoskeletal injury risk. In this narrative review, recommendations are proposed for building an expertise- and evidence-based Standard Operating Procedure for injury prevention in lockdown-like contexts for high-level and professional athletes. The following recommendations can be provided: (1) assess the global and sport-specific risks in the light of the ongoing cause of isolation; (2) adapt remote training materials and programs; (3) ensure regular quality communication within the staff, between athletes and the staff as well as between athletes; (4) follow the athlete's mental well-being; and (5) plan for a safe return-to-sports as well as for an ongoing monitoring of the load-recovery balance. These key domains should further be addressed to comply with local policies, which are subject to change over time in each individual country. The use of these recommendations may improve the readiness of athletes, coaches, physicians and all sports stakeholders for future lockdown-like contexts.
AB - In regular times, implementing exercise-based injury prevention programs into the training routine of high-level and professional athletes represents a key and challenging aspect to decrease injury risk. Barriers to implementing such prevention programs have previously been identified such as lack of resources, logistic issues or motivation. The COVID-19 pandemic associated with restrictions on daily life dramatically impacted sports participation from training to competition. It is therefore reasonable to assume that such lockdown-like context has exacerbated the challenge to implement exercise-based injury prevention programs, potentially leading to a greater musculoskeletal injury risk. In this narrative review, recommendations are proposed for building an expertise- and evidence-based Standard Operating Procedure for injury prevention in lockdown-like contexts for high-level and professional athletes. The following recommendations can be provided: (1) assess the global and sport-specific risks in the light of the ongoing cause of isolation; (2) adapt remote training materials and programs; (3) ensure regular quality communication within the staff, between athletes and the staff as well as between athletes; (4) follow the athlete's mental well-being; and (5) plan for a safe return-to-sports as well as for an ongoing monitoring of the load-recovery balance. These key domains should further be addressed to comply with local policies, which are subject to change over time in each individual country. The use of these recommendations may improve the readiness of athletes, coaches, physicians and all sports stakeholders for future lockdown-like contexts.
KW - athlete's health
KW - communication
KW - injury risk
KW - sports injury prevention
KW - team work
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122067946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34977567
U2 - 10.3389/fspor.2021.745765
DO - 10.3389/fspor.2021.745765
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34977567
AN - SCOPUS:85122067946
SN - 2624-9367
VL - 3
JO - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
JF - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
M1 - 745765
ER -