Actually in most situations it is quite simple, the cause and the prevention are one and the same. It is either something you are doing or it is something you are not doing. Let me give you an example. The other day I was visiting with a friend of mine who is a coach with a professional baseball organization. This past season in the minor leagues (season just ended) they had a significant increase in hamstring and groin pulls. An administrative decision was made to eliminate all running during the season so the players would not “get tired” due to the length of the season. The only sprinting they did was three or four sprints as part of pregame warm-up. The logic was to keep them fresh and therefore they would not get hurt. WRONG, without preparation for the running demands of the game injuries actually increased, the planned prevention was actually the cause. The moral of the story is to look closely at what you are doing and what you are not doing. Prepare for the demands of the game. The best injury prevention program is a good sound comprehensive training program that stresses all components of athletic fitness. It must be continued in-season, to do a program just in the off season is not enough. The law of reversibility is relentless, use it or lose it. Doing little or nothing in-season will negate most if not all the gains made in the off-season. Prepare adptable athletes and the chance of injury is minimal. Keep the big picture in mind.
