Half of Sports Injuries Are Preventable — Here's How

A large share of injuries on the pitch happen not through contact with an opponent but during the athlete's own movement: a turn, a landing, an acceleration. This group, known as non-contact injuries, can be reduced substantially with the right preparation.

1. Load management

The strongest early warning sign for injury is a sudden jump in training load. Returning to a previous tempo within a week after a long break, or abruptly increasing match frequency, leaves tissue no chance to adapt.

A practical rule: avoid increases of more than 10% in weekly load, and keep pre-season preparation long enough.

2. Strength and neuromuscular training

This is the protective factor the research shows most clearly. In particular:

• Hamstring strength — reduces strains at the back of the thigh
• Hip abductor and external rotator strength — reduces the knee collapsing inward, and with it the risk to the anterior cruciate ligament
• Balance and landing technique — decisive for ankle and knee injuries
• Core stability — provides trunk control during rapid changes of direction

These should be planned as an integral part of training, not as an extra burden on top of it.

3. Closing a previous injury properly

The single strongest predictor of a new injury is a previous injury in the same area. The reason is simple: most athletes return to play when pain has gone, while strength and control have not yet been matched to the other side.

The decision to return should rest on criteria rather than time: the strength difference between sides, hop and balance tests, and pain-free performance of the sport's own movements.

Does warming up really work?

Yes — but not in the form of passive stretching. An effective warm-up consists of light running to raise the heart rate, dynamic movements and a section that rehearses the movement patterns of that day's training. Structured warm-up protocols have been shown to reduce injury rates markedly.

What does an assessment show?

Movement analysis and strength measurements reveal weak links before an injury has occurred. Fzt. Kemran Hafız carries out these assessments for athletes in Bursa Nilüfer and builds an individual preventive programme from the results.

You can book an assessment before the season or during a return from injury.