Dara M. Twomey

This study evaluated the impact of injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs) on players’ physical attributes and game skill performance in female team sports. A systematic review was reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were electronically searched up to December 2025, using the following databases: MEDLINE, Sport Discus, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. Article types included randomised controlled trials and non-randomised interventions with females 16 years and over who participate in team sports, reporting at least one physical attribute or game skill outcome. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and Cochrane risk of bias tool. From 1652 papers, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies reported either significant improvements or no change in flexibility, balance, strength, power, agility and aerobic ability. Only three studies examined game skill performance in soccer. Two of the three studies found significant improvements in maximal kicking velocity and dribbling ability but no significant outcomes in shooting skills. Decreased physical attributes or game skill performance changes were not reported in any study. Injury prevention exercise programs can improve players’ physical attributes when of sufficient duration, with no adverse changes observed. However, their impact on game skills remains largely unexplored due to limited assessment tools. To overcome adoption barriers, the inclusion of performance related outcomes in IPEP design may enhance player and coach motivation, relevance, and adoption in women's team sports.

With the recent introduction of artificial turf outfield playing surfaces in community-level cricket, this paper presents the physical performance and injury-related perceptions of male, senior cricketers. Following validity and reliability testing, 43 cricketers from two clubs completed a questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information; individual performance; and injury risk and severity. Descriptive variables were computed, and chi-square tests were conducted to identify differences in perceptions based on the field type that players were exposed to and their injury status. Most players preferred artificial turf for training (53.7%) and wet/rainy conditions (64.1%), but natural grass for competitive games (67.4%) and dry conditions (69.0%). There were significant differences in perceptions for game speed (p < 0.001), the need to be fitter (p = 0.015), and the overall physical performance quality based on injury status (p = 0.017) and field (p < 0.021). Skin injuries were the only injuries that were reported as more likely on artificial turf. In general, players did not feel that the technical and physical performance aspects of cricket were affected when playing on artificial turf compared to natural grass. However, the field type that players were exposed to significantly influenced their perceptions and highlights the importance of artificial turf composition for future adoption in cricket.

ISHS XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): III International Conference on Turfgrass Management and Science for Sports Fields Moderating surface hardness and rotational traction of natural turf community-level football fields in drought

Despite the improved quality of synthetic turf surfaces, players are still expressing their discontent with the perceived greater risk of sustaining abrasion injuries on them relative to natural turf. The validity of the current device, the Securisport ^® , used to measure the abrasiveness of synthetic turf playing surfaces has been challenged based on its unrealistic interaction with the surface throughout testing. It rotates on the surface at a speed of 40 ± 1 r/min. The aim of this study was to compare the abrasion measurements from the current Securisport device with those from a modified device. The modified device moved across the surface in a linear direction at a speed of 5 m/s, replicating a soccer slide tackle. Data were captured for three trials for each device on three different surfaces: sand-only infill, low-rubber infill and high-rubber infill. Overall, it was found that there was a significant mean abrasion difference of 51.7% between the two devices (p = 0.02) and also significant differences resided between the two devices at specific infill levels. The results of this study found that the specific modifications to the current Securisport device, substantially changed abrasion measurements on synthetic turf, therefore illustrating the need for further work to improve the validity of the Securisport.

Background Exercise-based training programmes are commonly used to prevent sports injuries but programme effectiveness within community men's team sport is largely unknown. Objective To present the intention-to-treat analysis of injury outcomes from a clustered randomised controlled trial in community Australian football. Methods Players from 18 male, non-elite, community Australian football clubs across two states were randomly allocated to either a neuromuscular control (NMC) (intervention n=679 players) or standard-practice (control n=885 players) exercise training programme delivered as part of regular team training sessions (2× weekly for 8-week preseason and 18-week regular-season). All game-related injuries and hours of game participation were recorded. Generalised estimating equations, adjusted for clustering (club unit), were used to compute injury incidence rates (IIRs) for all injuries, lower limb injuries (LLIs) and knee injuries sustained during games. The IIRs were compared across groups with cluster-adjusted Injury Rate Ratios (IRRs). Results Overall, 773 game injuries were recorded. The lower limb was the most frequent body region injured, accounting for 50% of injuries overall, 96 (12%) of which were knee injuries. The NMC players had a reduced LLI rate compared with control players (IRR: 0.78 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.08), p=0.14.) The knee IIR was also reduced for NMC compared with control players (IRR: 0.50 (95% CI 0.24 to 1.05), p=0.07). Conclusions These intention-to-treat results indicate that positive outcomes can be achieved from targeted training programmes for reducing knee and LLI injury rates in men's community sport. While not statistically significant, reducing the knee injury rate by 50% and the LLI rate by 22% is still a clinically important outcome. Further injury reductions could be achieved with improved training attendance and participation in the programme.

Head injuries, particularly concussion, are a major cause of concern in many sports, particularly the football codes, driving a need to better understand injury mechanisms and potential methods of prevention. The aim of this study was to describe the mechanisms and follow up care of concussion injuries sustained in adult male community Australian football to identify target areas for prevention and management. Secondary analysis of injury data collected in a cluster randomised controlled trial in community Australian football across two states of Australia in 2007 and 2008. There were 1564 players from 18 clubs. The main outcome measures were the number and rate of head/neck/face (HNF) injuries and concussion sustained in games. A specific description of the mechanisms of the concussion injuries is presented along with the immediate return-to-play status of concussion cases. 143 HNF injuries were sustained by 132 players. The game HNF injury incidence was 4.9 per 1000 game hours (n = 138; 95 % confidence interval 4.1; 5.7). Just under a quarter (n = 34) of all HNF injuries were recorded as concussion. All concussions occurred during games (none in training), with all but one related to body contact with other players. Overall, 68 % of the concussions were considered within game rules, while 32 % were either outside of the rules or unclear. Most (88 %) players left the field immediately following concussion but 47 % later returned to play in the same game. Prevention strategies for concussion need to be based on knowledge of the mechanisms of injury. Most concussions in community Australian football occurred through body contact with other players or during tackling. Management of players post-concussion was generally poor with over half of the cases continuing to play in the same game. Therefore, new primary prevention strategies that target body-contact/tackling skills and improved secondary prevention measures relating to compliance with return-to-play protocols would be valuable.