Imagine how valuable it would be to be able to predict an injury before it happens. You could adjust training loads, or employ preventative strategies to manage the injury risk before it occurs. This would help keep athletes fit for more of the season, improving performances in the long-run.
There is growing evidence that a simple, 30-second test can predict an injury before it even happens.
The knee-to-wall test shows a lot of promise in sport for identifying a key biomechanical change - ankle dorsiflexion. Dorsiflexion appears to be one of the most important parts of lower limb function. It is the action of moving your knees over your toes, and in several studies now, a loss of dorsiflexion has been shown to increase injury risk significantly (Bowen, Weaver, Relph and Greig, 2019). So much so, that any good injury prevention programme should regularly prioritize measuring, recording, and maintaining dorsiflexion. If an athlete's range reduces, it should be a matter of priority that they increase their range.
Currently, improving dorsiflexion involves a series of time-consuming stretches, and/or multiple sessions with a physiotherapist. The A-Flex has been clinically proven to drastically improve dorsiflexion, in less time, and with more effectiveness than other techniques commonly used.
Its patented design replicates the technique used by physiotherapists called the mobilisation with movement. The clinically proven strap placement, helps to glide the talus bone (top of the foot), underneath the tibia, maximizing the talocrural (ankle) joint range. The ergonomic base fits both feet comfortably, so the technique can be performed on both feet individually with minimal adjustment, and - importantly- includes arch support which reduces arch collapse as a compensatory mechanism, training the gold standard of movement patterns which can be carried over into sport, further reducing injury risk.
Citations:
Bowen, C., Weaver, K., Relph, N. and Greig, M., 2019. The Efficacy of Lower-Limb Screening Tests in Predicting PlayerLoad Within a Professional Soccer Academy. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 28(8), pp.860-865.
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