May/June 2020 - 41

Preventive Measures
from the forward flexed position
required for playing the game.
This article will focus on
the specific training and injury
prevention program as well as
screening techniques that may be
used to address the demands of
these areas and help to prevent or
reduce musculoskeletal injuries.
Now let's examine the most
vulnerable muscle groups beginning
with the lower back area.
LOWER BACK
It is important to understand
that you have to be strong in all
muscle groups and no one group
is more important than another
- generally speaking. Remember
the " weakest link " statement.
Specifically, in field hockey lower
back strength, flexibility and
stability as-well-as core and
hip strength are a high priority
throughout the season to avoid
strains and sprains and remain an
active player all season - which
is the goal. Teryn Gallaway, who
played collegiately at UNC and
has coached all levels of field
hockey and is a current coach
for Liberty High School believes
that hip strengthening is even a
higher priority than lower back
strengthening because of the
specific demands of the sport.
Regardless of your belief of
which group deserves the most
attention, one thing is clear -
adequate core and hip strength,
flexibility and stability are
necessary in field hockey.
To start with, let's look at a 2015
study in the Journal of Back and
Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
by Hilst,J.V. et al points out the
prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in
adolescents is about 30% and the
(LBP) decreases performance and
increases the risk for recurrence.
Bending and twisting at the trunk -
common in field hockey - are noted
risk factors. In this same study,
specifically " female hockey players
reported the highest prevalence
of LBP (67%) and they felt the most
hampered in their performance by their
LBP (22%) " .
In addition, it is the slight
forward flexed position along
with dribbling that were seen as
precipitating factors for LBP in
training and competition (2). For
the aforementioned reasons, core
stability, hip, abdominal and back
strength training exercises need
to be focused on in an attempt to
prevent - or at least drastically
reduce low back injuries.
Jessica Nerkowski also agrees
that the lower back is vulnerable
and states " from my experience and
observations, often the lower back
injury is a result of muscles not firing
correctly or a symptom of hamstrings,
quads, glutes and core weakness " .
Glutes, Quads and Hamstrings
The gluteus maximus/minimus
and hamstrings (bicep femoris,
semitendinosus, semimembranosus)
are major and powerful hip extenders
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training-conditioning.com | 41
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May/June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2020
