Reducing Injury Risk in Young Athletes

Strength and conditioning provision for young athletes offers unique challenges for coaches. Periods of rapid and non-uniform growth in skeletal structures are common, resulting in temporary reductions in performance and heightened injury risk. This chapter identifies pertinent risk factors for prevalent injuries in this cohort and considerations when assessing an athlete’s risk profile. The effectiveness of current injury prevention programmes administered to youth athletes is critically analysed, specifically relating to improvements in function and reductions in injury incidence. Practical tools and applied examples are included throughout to aid in the design of effective training programmes, concluding with a hierarchical injury risk factor training model. This systematic approach integrates risk factor screening with the development of individualised programmes that target deficits in neuromuscular control to optimise performance and reduce injury risk.