Mick Hughes:
Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist
M. Sports Physio, B. Physio, B.Ex. Sci.

We know that, just like taxes, death is inevitable, but wouldn’t it be nice to extend your years out a little bit longer? Well, a recent study has shed some light on what types of physical activity can help you extend your years. In a study of 80 306 English and Scottish residents (F 43 705, M 36 601; mean age 52yrs) it was found that those that participated in regular games of racquet sports (tennis, badminton, squash) had a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality

For elite athletes sleep is a crucial part of their preparation for sport and an even more crucial part of their recovery from matches and injury. For amateur and community level athletes however it is a frequently over-looked strategy to improve performance and assist in recovery from injury. I often ask my patients how they recover from training and games, and they will rattle of “stretch, ice bath, foam roll, hydrate (+/- a couple of post-games beers), eat well, etc etc”…b

It is well established that "Injury Prevention Programs" reduce ACL injury and all knee injuries by 50%, ankle injuries by 40% and all lower limb injuries by 22% (Finch et al, 2016, Grimm et al, 2016, Donnell-Fink et al, 2015). However, what is it that makes them successful? Here are just a few reasons: VOLUME: Injury Prevention Programs administered to reduce ACL injury in female athletes were more likely to do so when they were carried out >30mins p/wk (⬇68% chance) vs 15-3

2 recent studies have shed light on the positive effects of "Injury Prevention Programs" on performance outcome measures. Anecdotally, we often hear that "Injury Prevention Programs" have poor compliance from coaching staff and athletes. With this new research, it begs the question; To increase adherence to "Injury Prevention Programs", should we start referring to them as "Performance Enhancement Programs"? I think so.. In a very recent study, not only did the FIFA 11+ Injur

When it comes to injury prevention (performance enhancement), simple is always best. Here are 2 perfect examples of what happens when you dont get the basics right. In a study of elite adolescent athletes (15-19 years) it was found that a "perfect storm" of increased training intensity, increased training load and less than 8 hours sleep per night resulted in a 2.3x greater risk of sustaining an injury (acute or overuse) compared to athletes who had no change in these variab

Regardless of the sport you look after or are involved in, be aware of SUBSEQUENT injury! Not RECURRENCE of a previous injury, but an injury to a seperate body part soon after return to training or sport from a primary injury. 37% of injuries in AFL are subsequent to a primary injury, with hamstring injury being the most common subsequent injury (Finch et al, 2017). Take home messages: 1) KNOW your sport and the COMMON injuries of that sport. Eg. Ankle sprains in Basketball/N

In a study of ACL reconstructed patients, those that could do at least 22 single leg rises had better knee-related quality of life at 1 and 3 years post-op than those that couldn't do 22 reps (Culvenor et al, 2016). Although this information is directed at ACL patients, the ability to perform single leg squats can improve physical performance in all aspects of life for EVERYONE! So share this around and test yourself and your friends. Set the bar high, and try to be within 2