Injury Prevention Warm-Up for Field Sports
A three-part protocol (easy running, strength and balance, fast running) based on the injury prevention programs used in team sports. It lowers the risk of knee, ankle, and hamstring injuries and gives students a routine they can repeat with their own team.
How to play
- Set 6 lanes with two cones about 22 yards apart. Students work in pairs, about 2 pairs per lane, all starting together.
- Part 1 (minutes 0-4): jog down and walk back doing a straight jog, hip out, hip in, side shuffle with a shoulder bump, and backpedal.
- Part 2 (minutes 4-9): next to the cone, 30 seconds each of front plank, side plank per side, squat, and single-leg balance. One partner works while the other checks that the knee does not cave in; switch on the whistle.
- Part 3 (minutes 9-12): run down at 75% speed, zigzag through the cones, and finish with a jump and soft two-foot landing.
- To wrap up, each pair names the exercise that was hardest so it can be repeated next class.
Rules
- In squats and landings, the knee points toward the toes; if it caves in, repeat the rep more slowly.
- No one does fast running before finishing the first two parts.
- Pairs always pass on the right to avoid collisions.
Variations
Easier
Planks from the knees and balance with one hand on a partner's shoulder.
Standard
All three parts with full planks and two-leg squats.
Harder
Soft jumping lunges instead of squats, plus a light partner push during the balance hold.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a student in a wheelchair does Part 2 with arm presses and replaces the runs with wheel pushes.
- Hearing impairment: also signal each change by raising a cone.
- Low fitness: run Part 3 at 50% speed over about 11 yards.
Learning goals
- Apply a complete injury prevention routine before playing sports.
- Control knee and ankle alignment in single-leg stance and landings.
- Correct a partner's technique using simple cues.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cones: 12
Teacher tip
The usual mistake is turning Part 1 into a race: keep it easy. If you run it twice a week, within a few weeks students will lead it on their own.
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