Saints, Crows adopt injury prevention system

[Oh When the Saints]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 32,00.html

Swans say goodbye to techno advantage

Louis White | November 03, 2007

The Adelaide Crows and St Kilda are going to war with the Sydney Swans next year.

And while Andrew McLeod's brilliant dash out of the middle, Nick Riewoldt's bravery under the ball or Barry Hall's brawn will play key roles in deciding the victor, it is a bloodless techno-war, fought on laptops and data sheets, that could make all the difference.

For three years, the Swans have held an advantage over the rest of the field after adapting a revolutionary injury prevention system from European soccer giant AC Milan to their own needs.

It has garnered them two grand final appearances and one flag.

Enough is enough, as far as the Crows and Saints are concerned. If Sydney has unlocked a secret to success, they want the key.

The Crows have opened negotiations with Reason Incorporated -- the company that so successfully adapted the AC Milan injury predictor for the Swans and cut the club's injuries by 57 per cent.

St Kilda, alternatively, has pilfered the man who put the Reason system into action.

After a year as head coach at St Kilda, former Swans assistant coach Ross Lyon decided he could not do without David Misson, the Swans' elite performance manager who will now be the general manager of strength and conditioning at Moorabbin.

The Swans' system sees a range of data built up over time on players from their training and playing activities to ensure injury prevention and management is reduced to an absolute minimum.

It has reduced soft tissue injuries by 90 per cent.

Director of Reason Incorporated Gary Benbow has long been a Swans fan.

"Andrew Ireland (Swans general manager of football) said if we can improve the team by two per cent they could win a premiership," Benbow said.

"And we did."

That was back in 2005 and the success of the Swans' injury prevention program has continued ever since.

Reason Incorporated initially focused on risk management products to identify and manage risks for business. It was an easy task for them to transfer that information into the sporting arena.

While both the Swans and Reason Incorporated are reluctant to say what data goes into the neural software program, it is believed the basic parameters are the amount of training, playing, weights, previous injuries, rehabilitation, age, height and weight.

So successful is the program that the software confidently predicted that Swans forward Adam Schneider would injure his hamstring in the club's first practice match of 2007.

"We flagged it as a potential outcome two weeks before the game," Benbow said. "What happened in between was that the Swans' medical team headed back to Italy to talk to AC Milan so we don't know whether his revised training program was enacted or whether he was already in the red zone. As it turned out he injured his hamstring in the match."

It also identified Hall's season-long groin problems just weeks out from the first official game.

"Based on the data, we said that Barry Hall needed to play the last practice match because his body needed the workout," Benbow said.

"The data assesses and makes recommendations on training and playing, and if you comply with its recommendations there is an 85 per cent chance of no injury."

What the software is not capable of is managing what the coach will do on match day.

"The system can't take out the human element," Benbow said.

"Take the hamstring injury Leo Barry sustained against the West Coast Eagles in round 16 in Perth.

"All the data said that it was a minor strain and if he played as a stationary forward he would be able to play out the match. Initially, the Swans' coaching staff did this and he was OK, but later in the match they moved him into the backline where the injury worsened.

"Being an older player who had lower limb injuries before, it was always going to take a bit longer for the injury to heal."

Other Australian sporting teams have taken note.

Cricketers Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and James Hopes all broke down during Australia's tour of South Africa and India with soft tissue injuries at different stages.

"The Australian players had a five-month break and have about 18 months of continuous playing ahead of them," said John Orchard, a doctor who toured with the team.

"They were a little bit underdone for the Twenty20 World Cup but the payback is that they will be fresher later in the season and hopefully avoid burnout.

"An athlete can't peak for 18 months. It is always a difficult balance with athletes because they are always on the edge."


Courtesy: www.westofmoorabbin.com

[jill]

Great to read - WELCOME DAVID MISSON, WELL DONE ROSS LYON
GO SAINTERS 2008!

[Beekay]

I agree with you, Jillian.

[jill]

JILLIAN!!! - only ever got called that when I was in big touble as a kid !

[Beekay]

Hey good on ya Jill! Keep fighting the good fight.

[SaintWodonga]

I think time will prove David Misson an excellent recruit to the club...

[i_luv_nick_riewoldt]

If this technology is able to

" make recommendations on training and playing, and if you comply with its recommendations there is an 85 per cent chance of no injury."

that is a great chance and opportunity to develop the boys and to prevent soft tissue injuries from occuring which has been much of our demise for years!
Im pretty sure all the boys who have suffered from the lsoft tissue injuries will be quite happy that they have Mission on board!
In 2008, we will be a force to be reckoned with! Seriously over the last months huge changes have occured to ensure a better functioning footy club and i love it!!

Keep up the good work rossy and the boys!

[midas_touch]

Another positive development in the club's off season. This should hopefully rid our club of the absurdly large amounts of casualties we've had over the years.