rprman

I believe this discussion has centered around two areas - overtraining and acute injuries. In regards to overtraining, it is possible to push the body too hard and cause it to breakdown. Of course, training involves breaking down the body to stimluate it to grow bigger / faster / stronger. However, if training resumes before proper recovery, a downward spiral begins which can end in stress fractures, chronic tendonitis, or overall fatigue. The key to avoiding overtraining is evaluating your body regularly and recognizing that nagging problems can grow into serious issues. As far as acute injuries - ACL, ankle sprains, shoulder dislocations and others - there is nothing that can absolutely avoid these in competition. Proper preperation can decrease these. Before play, the area needs to be safe - floor swept, obstacles removed. The athlete should not be overly fatigued as injuries increase when fatigued. The verdict is mixed on training programs such as Sportmetrics (or other pylometric programs) and the use of orthotics or knee braces. There is ongoing research into these interventions. While, they seem to have a positive effect in some populations, they are ineffective in others. As in all things, there is a cost involvled - not just $$$ - but time as well. For example, retraining your jumping style takes a great deal of time and effort. This decreases the time available for other training (weights, shooting, team play). One area of little cost and potential great benefit is ankle braces. These are recommended especially if quality taping is not available. Some concern arises that oversupport of the ankle can lead to increase stress on the knee. Working together, the sports medicine team at your school should be able to provide insight to particular concerns in regards to prevention of injuries and what specific interventions can help individual sports. While no one can guarantee injury free sport participation, educating yourself on proper mechanics, proper rest and training can be your best asset in this fight.