Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (Dec 2021)

Exercise-Based Injury Prevention in High-Level and Professional Athletes: Narrative Review and Proposed Standard Operating Procedure for Future Lockdown-Like Contexts After COVID-19

  • Géraldine Martens,
  • François Delvaux,
  • François Delvaux,
  • François Delvaux,
  • Bénédicte Forthomme,
  • Bénédicte Forthomme,
  • Bénédicte Forthomme,
  • Jean-François Kaux,
  • Jean-François Kaux,
  • Axel Urhausen,
  • Axel Urhausen,
  • Axel Urhausen,
  • Axel Urhausen,
  • François Bieuzen,
  • François Bieuzen,
  • Suzanne Leclerc,
  • Suzanne Leclerc,
  • Laurent Winkler,
  • Laurent Winkler,
  • Franck Brocherie,
  • Franck Brocherie,
  • Mathieu Nedelec,
  • Mathieu Nedelec,
  • Antonio J. Morales-Artacho,
  • Antonio J. Morales-Artacho,
  • Alexis Ruffault,
  • Alexis Ruffault,
  • Alexis Ruffault,
  • Anne-Claire Macquet,
  • Anne-Claire Macquet,
  • Gaël Guilhem,
  • Gaël Guilhem,
  • Didier Hannouche,
  • Didier Hannouche,
  • Philippe M. Tscholl,
  • Philippe M. Tscholl,
  • Romain Seil,
  • Romain Seil,
  • Romain Seil,
  • Pascal Edouard,
  • Pascal Edouard,
  • Pascal Edouard,
  • Jean-Louis Croisier,
  • Jean-Louis Croisier,
  • Jean-Louis Croisier

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.745765
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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In regular times, implementing exercise-based injury prevention programs into the training routine of high-level and professional athletes represents a key and challenging aspect to decrease injury risk. Barriers to implementing such prevention programs have previously been identified such as lack of resources, logistic issues or motivation. The COVID-19 pandemic associated with restrictions on daily life dramatically impacted sports participation from training to competition. It is therefore reasonable to assume that such lockdown-like context has exacerbated the challenge to implement exercise-based injury prevention programs, potentially leading to a greater musculoskeletal injury risk. In this narrative review, recommendations are proposed for building an expertise- and evidence-based Standard Operating Procedure for injury prevention in lockdown-like contexts for high-level and professional athletes. The following recommendations can be provided: (1) assess the global and sport-specific risks in the light of the ongoing cause of isolation; (2) adapt remote training materials and programs; (3) ensure regular quality communication within the staff, between athletes and the staff as well as between athletes; (4) follow the athlete's mental well-being; and (5) plan for a safe return-to-sports as well as for an ongoing monitoring of the load-recovery balance. These key domains should further be addressed to comply with local policies, which are subject to change over time in each individual country. The use of these recommendations may improve the readiness of athletes, coaches, physicians and all sports stakeholders for future lockdown-like contexts.

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