A Systems-Based Approach to Injury Prevention for the Strength and Conditioning Coach

Participation in sport exposes athletes to an inherent risk of injury. In order to develop a comprehensive injury prevention program, strength and conditioning coaches must conduct a thorough needs analysis to establish the risk of injury, identify mechanisms and risk factors for injury, select relevant screening tests and design targeted interventions based on the athlete’s results. Using a systems-based approach presented herein, this article provides an overview of the process that coaches must undertake in order to develop effective injury prevention programs.