Peter Gallagher has been the All Blacks physiotherapist for over 10 years. He discusses how they deal with RTP following ACL injuries and how shared decision-making can be used to set a RTP date. The conversation then branches out onto how changes in training load can be used to recondition players following injury and the need for exercises that provide eccentric muscle training. Finally, we consider alternative exercise programs and the role of functional movement screening for injury prevention.

This open access paper by Dr Tim Gabbett summarizes the theory behind higher training loads and injury rates: http://tinyurl.com/heepexv

Another paper here predicts injury using acute: chronic workload ratios: http://tinyurl.com/z89glpz

An article discussing the limitations of functional screening: http://tinyurl.com/zf5dgpn

Timeline:

0:51- The challenge of RTP in ACL injury.

4:30- How the decision is made to RTP?

5:39-Why lowering a player’s load after injury might be beneficial.

7:11- Some examples of modified training programmes and reconditioning.

13:04- Adapting alternative exercise programs into a training regime.