Prep-to-Play PRO
Developing a knee injury prevention strategy for women’s elite football (AFLW)
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most burdensome sporting injuries athletes face. Women playing in the Australian Football League for Women (AFLW) are at most risk of all sports worldwide – a 6 times higher risk of ACL injury compared to men playing at the same level.
ACL injury prevention programs can successfully reduce ACL injury rates, however when the AFLW started in 2017, no women and Australian football-specific program existed. To address the alarming rates, we partnered with the AFL to develop Prep-to-Play PRO, an injury prevention strategy to reduce anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the AFLW.
Prep-to-Play PRO includes 5 components (individual preparation, movement skills, football-specific preparation, strength and conditioning and education) (Bruder 2020, 2023). It has been successfully adopted and implemented in the AFLW since 2019 (Bruder 2024). The adoption of the program has contributed to the reduction of ACL injury rates in the AFLW, which is now at an all-time low of 2.51 ACL injuries per 1000 player hours in the 2023 season (AFLW Injury Report 2024).
Research publications
Lower limb musculoskeletal screening in elite female Australian football players
Investigators
Andrea Bruder, Kay Crossley, Brooke Patterson, Alex Donaldson, Andrea Mosler, Melissa Haberfield, Martin Hagglund, Benjamin F Mentiplay, Patrick Clifton, Nicole D Livingstone OAM, Sallie Cowan, Adam Culvenor
PhD candidates
Contact a.bruder@latrobe.edu.au if you are interested in pursing a PhD in reducing ACL injuries and associated burden in women.
Industry support
Australian Football League
Grants
Australian Football League
La Trobe University Internal investment Schemes 2018-2020