Physiotherapy can help with pre-season preparation for rugby and netball

As the winter sports begin it’s time to start thinking if your body is prepared.  With the sports becoming faster, kids being bigger and faster and not to mention slippery fields and courts from bad weather, it is important you reduce your risk of injury.

The best preparation is to ensure you are injury-free.  If you have a niggle or “weak” area it is important it be looked after now to ensure you don’t re-injure or cause further damage.  What may be a small problem now can become worse with the impact and intensity of rugby or netball.  Think about the extra demand there is with rugby – contact from other players, the sudden change of direction and the explosive sprints down the field.  Think about the extra demand of netball – the pivoting, the sudden stop/start and the jumping.

Once you have seen to your injuries, there are exercises you can do to ensure minimal risk of injury and prepare your body to be in the best shape for this winter season.  These exercises prescribed by your physiotherapist aim to build strength, improve speed, improve core stability, increase balance/proprioception and increase coordination.  This will mean you are quicker on the field or court, you will have less chance of painful joints and reduce your risk of injury.

Book in to see your physiotherapist to make your body rugby-ready or netball-prepared!