Core and Stability for Injury

Prevention

Danny Deigan – S&C Coach

Injury Prevention

• Greater training time

• Greater opportunities

• Greater performance

“Right muscles being used to

perform the right action at the

right time”

• Anterior v Posterior Muscle Imbalances

• Quad dominant athletes

• “Running optimally when you can feel your

hamstrings and glutes”

• Optimal hamstring:quadriceps strength ratio

may be 1.2-1.4:1

Practical Application: Squat

Greater posterior involvement:

• Squatting to correct depth / stance

• Knees not coming over the toes

• Spreading the floor

• Demonstration then Practical: Perform 10 repetitions each focusing on these 3 key points

Stability

• Pelvic stability – glute medius and small hip

rotators – hip related

• Spine / Pelvic stability – abdominals,

quadratus lumborum, erector spinae – back

and trunk related

• Important to train these muscles as

stabilisers

Single Leg Exercises

• Single leg when running, kicking, leaping /

landing

• SL Squats

• Split Squats / Static Lunges

• Bulgarian Split Squats

• SL Romanian Deadlifts

Practical Application: SL Squat

• Demonstration (5 reps each leg)

• Poor glute medius involvement results in poor hip-knee-ankle alignment

• Activation exercises such as sidesteps, glute bridges – teach including palpation / raking

• Practical – perform activation exercises – 5 reps EL, then SL Squats – 5 reps EL with feedback from your partner

Core Stability

• Involves trunk and lumbar region

• “Integrity”

• Maintaining integrity makes us less

susceptible to injury, especially in a contact

sport

Bracing vs Hollowing

• Hollowing to isolate TvA occurs at 1-2% MVC, this is a weakening of the abdominal wall

• Bracing allows three layers of abdominals to bind together to form a super-stiffness

• Holding your breath (Valsalva manoeuvre) creates super-stiffness used in maximal efforts

• In an AFL environment, you need to maintain stiffness independent of breathing

Practical Application: Prone Hold

• Neutral back position and straight body

alignment, position should not change

• Raking to ensure bracing is maintained

• Encourage breathing

• Practical 45sec EA (include raking) with

feedback from your partner

Practical Application: Bird Dogs

• Neutral back and pelvic position and

alignment, position should not change

• Lift opposite arm and leg while bracing the

core (can perform with just leg)

• Practical: Perform 5 ES with feedback from

your partner

Core and Stability

• Is important for injury prevention

• Is a part of every exercise

• Trunk integrity should always be maintained

• Single leg stability for running and kicking technique

• Using the right muscles to perform the right action at the right time

References

Boyle, M. (2003). Functional training for sports. United States of America: Human

Kinetics.

Francis, C. (n.d.) The Charlie Francis training system. Ontario.

McGill, S. (2004). Ultimate back fitness and performance: second edition. Ontario:

Wabbuno.