New Study: Warm-Ups Help Prevent Injuries in Females

Can warm-ups prior to practice cut down on knee, ankle, and other lower extremity injuries in female high school athletes? A new study found that going through a set of warm-up exercises prior to practices and games cut the rate of knee and ankle injuries in girls playing soccer and basketball.

Fewer high school student athletes suffered non-contact injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains, when their coaches were trained to lead warm-up sessions.

During the study, ninety coaches were randomly assigned to be taught a warm-up program involving strengthening, balance, and agility exercises to lead before every game and practice or to stick with their usual warm-up routine. The twenty-minute warm-up also involved exercises focusing on how to jump and land safely.

About 1,500 girls were included in the study – half on teams that did the warm-up program and half on teams that did not. In total, there were 96 injuries during the 2006-2007 season in the "control" group that did no extra stretching and strengthening, compared to 50 injuries in girls who did the warm-ups.

Specifically, there was a 35 percent reduction in overuse leg injuries when girls participated in the warm-up program and a 44 percent lower rate of acute non-contact injuries.

"Conducting warm-up exercises, when done correctly, can improve jumping height and power, as well as help prevent injuries," explains Dr. Thomas E. Dudley, knee and hip specialist at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists.

For more information about sports injuries or treatment for your athletes, visit Heartland Orthopedic Specialists’ S.W.E.A.T. (Speed, Weights, Endurance, Agility, Technique) program online or call (320) 335-6078.