The COVID-19 lockdown in Australia: a case study of exercise programming in male academy football players to prepare for return to play

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ABSTRACT

Purpose

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced global lockdowns. Herein, we examine the effect of a lockdown exercise programme in a case-study of youth Australian A-league academy football players.

Methods

Fifty-five u13-u15 age-grade players were provided with a 110 minute exercise programme including technical, tactical, cardiovascular and muscle strengthening exercises to perform 4 per week at home during the 10-week COVID-19 lockdown.

Results

Pre/Post lockdown, maximum aerobic speed was determined via the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (IFT). Exercise compliance was high (78.5% CI72.2–83.8) with an average of 3.15 sessions completed each week. All time-loss (TL) and medical attention (MA) injuries were recorded. Pre/Post lockdown, no difference in the mean incidence or burden of total time-loss (TL), match TL, training TL or medical attention (MA) injuries or injury rate ratio (1.21 CI:0.85–2.74) was observed. Similarly, no difference was observed in any injury incidence or burden data or the injury rate ratio (1.53 CI:0.85–2.74) when comparing the 9-week period prior to lockdown with the first 9 weeks post lockdown (9v9 only). A 9.6% (p = <0.01) increase was also observed in Pre/Post 30–15 IFT composite scores (18.7 CI: 18.3–19.1 to 20.5 CI:20–21).

Conclusion

In this case study, compliance to the home-based exercise programme was high and no increase in injury was apparent. These findings must however be considered alongside the limitations associated within this case-study.

KEYWORDS:

• Soccer
• adolescent
• youth
• 11+
• 30-15 IFT

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge all players included in this case study and their families for assisting with implementation of the home-based exercise programme. Sydney FC for supporting the development and roll out of the programme and all coaches for their role in weekly player contact and medical staff for the programme design.

Disclosure statement

SV is the academy physiotherapist at Sydney FC. The authors declare no other conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.