© NARRABEEN SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRE PTY LIMITED | PRIVACY POLICY | 2021

© NARRABEEN SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRE PTY LIMITED | PRIVACY POLICY | 2019

April 2019 | GAME DAY | PREPARE TO PERFORM AT YOUR BEST

INJURY PREVENTION

PROTECT | a mouthguard is essential for contact sports (rugby, AFL) to protect against serious & expensive dental injuries.  Headgear can protect the scalp & ears from lacerations, however, there is no evidence it prevents concussion. 

Protect young bony joints on the shoulders with shoulder pads - but remember they are no substitute for strapping, bracing or rehabilitation to protect an unstable shoulder.

PREVENT | taping and bracing are important to protect joints that have suffered a previous injury (ankle sprain, shoulder instability) or areas that have been identified through screening to be at risk (shoulders, ankles). 

Research shows it is better to protect joints from further injury & strapping and bracing do not weaken joints when used to train & play.

PREPARE | pack your bag with equipment, extra snacks & water the night before an event. 

Reduce stress on game day, allowing you to relax & focus on your nutrition & hydration.  

HYDRATION

DRINK UP! | Prevent fatigue, helps maintain mental focus & prevent soft tissue injury. 

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY | Good hydration starts the day before an event is a good place to start & don’t forget milk as a protein rich hydrating fluid.  Start ASAP when you wake in the morning on game day & particularly focus on the 2 - 3 hours before the game starts. 

JUST ADD WATER | water is the fluid of choice particularly for children & adolescents to consume before, during & after sport. 

Sports drinks (Powerade/Gatorade) are not necessary or recommended unless athletes participate in intense exercise > 60 minutes.

For young athletes - Sports Dietitians Australia recommend that "even in very hot and/or humid conditions or periods of sustained high intensity exercise where extra hydration, electrolyte & carbohydrates are required, additional drinks of water and small snacks (e.g. cheese and crackers, banana, a sandwich, yoghurt or milk drink) will replace fluid and salt losses from sweat and provide the extra energy kids need to perform at their best" 

NUTRITION

PREPARE | Planning, shopping & preparing meals & snacks helps set you up for success by fuelling your system for both the game & an effective recovery.   

ITS ALL ABOUT TIMING | Peta Carige from Functional Food Solutions recommends a simple plan for game day.

- carbohydrate rich, low fat main meal 3 - 4 hours before the game or event 

- a smaller snack within 60 minutes before game ( banana, wrap, toast, muesli bar)

- post game snack within 30 mins after the game to replenish muscles energy stores & enhance recovery.  Sandwiches & fruit are easy to pack or try a smoothie (Up&Go) as easily consumed & digested.   

"There is no quick fix when it comes to fuelling for an 80 - 90 minute intense game of football"

Peta's Top 5 game day nutrition mistakes

AT THE FIELD

GAME PREP | Physically preparing for the game takes time - so make sure you know when your warm up & game begin to give you time to prepare.

INJURY PREVENTION | If you play AFL, Rugby, Netball or Football, the injury prevention program should be part of your warm up - these can reduce serious knee and lower limb injury by half. 

Click on the sport to see your sport's program.

STRETCHING | Dynamic (movement through range) is considered the best form of stretching to do before a game - leave the static (still, long hold) stretch for after the game.

SKILLS | mentally & physically practice the skills you will need in the game - this could be contact work, kicking or a shooting a goal.   

If sprinting is part of your sport, make sure you tick off a few progressively faster sprints prior to the game.

RECOVERY

AFTER THE GAME | recovery begins straight after the event or game - so be prepared.  Nutrition & hydration should be addressed in the first 30 minutes.  Drink to replace fluid lost & the muscle glycogen with a snack as soon as possible.  

MASSAGE | recovery massage is an effective way to flush the muscles post competition & prepare the body for a quick turn around for another match, event or to return to training.  Later in the week, soft tissue therapies can help the restore normal joint range, release trigger points & prevent injuries.   Book a massage today!

ICE BATHS | cold immersion is useful after intense competition & contact sports, especially those with short turn arounds.  Although if the next event is within 2 - 3 hours, recovery may be better achieved with a light cycle or swim.

SLEEP | sleep is a key component of recovery. Athletes who sleep an average of <8 hours per night are 1.7 x more likely to have had an injury compared with athletes who slept for ≥ 8 hours.  

Lack of appropriate regular sleep can mean there will be impaired muscle glycogen repletion, impaired muscle repair & increased in mental fatigue

ALCOHOL | (for the athlete > 18 yrs) when carbohydrate-rich food is replaced by alcohol, the glycogen repletion is impaired. 

Alcohol inhibits muscle protein synthesis for up to 12 hours post ingestion & reduces anabolic hormone activity - which plays an essential role in wound healing, protein synthesis & skeletal muscle regeneration.   

INJURIES

NO MATTER HOW SMALL | injury management should begin post-match or event as soon as possible with an assessment of the area of injury. 

SWELLING & BLEEDING |  injuries should be compressed & iced to reduce the bleeding & swelling in the area.  Anti-inflammatory meds should be avoided in the first 48 hours as they can increase the bleeding - just stick to paracetamol (panadol) for pain relief unless instructed by your doctor.

DO I NEED TO GO TO HOSPITAL? | unless your injury is likely to need immediate surgery or is life-threatening, wait & see your physio,  GP or Sports Physician.  Emergency centres such as WISE offer immediate emergency care when an injury is not considered life-threatening.   Physiotherapists do not require a referral and can refer you for imaging if required. 

HEAT & MASSAGE TO INJURED AREA | avoid massage, hot showers, baths, & spas with an acute  injury.

ALCOHOL | avoid alcohol in the first 72 + hours of the acute injury as it will increase bleeding & swelling.  Alcohol prevents repair to skeletal muscle & the normal inflammatory process that initiates repair after exercise & trauma by interfering with inflammatory factors.  This negatively affects wound & injury healing.

RETURN TO SPORT AFTER INJURY | before returning to training & play, a full rehabilitation must be completed to avoid injury recurrence.  Athletes should return to full training for 1 - 2 weeks, depending on the injury, before they return to play.

You've survived pre-season, trained hard & now it's time to perform. 

How can we best prepare for game day & stay injury free for the season ahead?