Can GPS Tracking Prevent Injuries....?

So the domestic football season has finally come to an end, and if you are a good premiership club you are looking to address the injuries that your players sustained over the course of the last season, and to try and prevent them from happening again next season... But how exactly do you achieve that? Well Arsenal FC will be GPS tracking all of their players in future to find out.

The theory is that Arsenal will be able to ascertain the fatigue levels of their players by monitoring how far and fast they run during each training session, and the length of time the player has his foot on the floor during the stance phase of their running gate (load data). Essentially if the player is in good shape he will be on his toes and will be moving around quickly, and if the player is tired then their movement will be slower and their load data will increase indicating that the player is potentially at risk of being injured.

The system which is similar to one being used in aussie rules will take some time to get up and running as they will need to establish the players normal level of activity and how this changes during training and matches but if it helps predict or reduce the incidence of injury then it is a great idea. Whilst it may be some time before the benefits of this system are realised it is a bold step, it shows the dedication and investment that top flight clubs are prepared to make to reduce their ever lengthening injury lists. Will this system result in players being rested for matches based on their poor performance in training? Probably yes, and herein lies the crux of the issue with this system – are all players’ consummate professionals who always give 100% in training? No. But they will soon learn that with this system that there is nowhere to hide.

On a similar theme AC Milan have invested in perhaps the most advanced multipurpose medical centre on the planet, which they use to maintain the players’ fitness and to detect any potential injuries. As well as the more normal sports therapy/physiotherapy practitioners they have specialist’s from the fields of neurology, biochemistry, psychology, dentistry and chiropractic that contribute to overall well being of the players. The psychological element is very interesting as there is lot of evidence to suggest that there is a psychological factor involved in injury and it is less common for sports psychologists to work in football than other sports.

http://www.fitforsportclinic.com/

Jonny Wilkinson – The Bionic Man

Somewhat reminiscent of The Bionic Man, Jonny Wilkinson made a welcome return to Twickenham at the weekend. A confident and assured performance was not enough to insure England’s victory but it was enough for many to believe that he can finally turn the corner and put his injury nightmare behind him. Perhaps more remarkable than his performance is the journey that led to Jonny lining up at Twickenham for the first time since the 2008 Six Nations and his first autumn international since 2002.


Winning the RWC in 2003 should have been the catalyst for a long and illustrious career, instead it was the start of a six-year run of injuries that has threatened to end his career and overshadow his prodigious talent. Jonny’s injuries include:

Dec 2003 Fractured right shoulder (3 weeks)
Feb 2004 C4 and C5 vertebrae compression and nerve damage Shoulder and neck surgery (28 weeks)
Oct 2004 Right bicep haematoma (6 weeks)
Jan 2005 MCL tear left knee (8 weeks)
Mar 2005 MCL tear left knee (4 weeks)
Jul 2005 Stinger right shoulder (8 weeks)
Sep 2005 Inflamed appendix followed by appendectomy (4 weeks)
Nov 2005 Gilmore’s groin followed by surgery (8 weeks)
Jan 2006 Torn adductor (12 weeks)
Sep 2006 MCL tear right knee (4 weeks)
Nov 2006 Lacerated Kidney (6 weeks)
Feb 2007 Hamstring tear (6 weeks)
Sep 2007 Lateral ankle injury (1 week)
May 2008 Shoulder surgery (unspecified)
Oct 2008 Dislocated patella (20 weeks)

What impresses me most about Jonny is his motivation and desire to return to the game he loves time after time. From the interviews I’ve seen he cuts a more relaxed figure these days and seems to be enjoying his rugby, which by his own omission, has often been difficult for him to do.

Welcome back Jonny.

On a personal note it has been a good week, I’ve had 4 matches (2 football and 2 rugby) and I have been relatively unscathed by the advancing winter weather; I’m sure the coming weeks won’t be so kind!

It was good to get out for my first rugby matches of the season and, compared to some of the games that I have worked at, it was a quiet day at the office. I have also started some observation work with one of Arsenal’s physios and am looking to finalise another great opportunity in the coming days. More about this later…

www.fitforsportclinic.com