Pedagogy - The Consequences of a Long-Term Injury for Youth Players
Long-term injuries are never fun and can have a very negative impact on a player, especially when they occur at a young age. A player risks being away from the group for an extended period and falling behind in their football development relative to the rest of the team. How should one go about keeping an injured player engaged and making them feel included?
When players move up to the 11v11 format, they reach an age where their bodies grow significantly and start building muscle. This also increases the risk of injury as bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments can develop at different rates. When a young player suffers a long-term injury, it can have several negative consequences for them, both in terms of performance and capacity, as well as socially regarding their place in the group. I have personally seen several situations in different teams where a player gets a long-term injury and becomes completely absent from training and the group during their recovery period. When they finally return, they have been less motivated and, in some cases, have even decided to quit. What factors could have contributed to these decisions, and what consequences can a long-term injury have?
A long-term injury can, of course, have negative consequences for a player’s performance and capacity as a footballer. The player cannot play the sport for an extended period, which means they are likely to fall behind the rest of the team in their development. This happens because, unlike the injured player, the rest of the team participates in training and continually receives feedback on how they can improve and develop, while the injured player can only focus on their rehab and strengthening the muscles of the body. When the team trains on certain aspects of the game, such as how to defend while preventing the opponent's build-up, the injured player misses out on this training, and there is a risk they won't be up to speed when they return.
Being injured for a long period affects not only the football aspect of the individual but also the social aspect. The player is absent from the group for an extended period, and while the group develops together as individuals, the injured player is excluded due to their absence. When the player returns after their long-term injury, the group has developed without them, and it can be difficult for the injured player to reintegrate and find their place/role in the group.
So, how can we minimize these negative consequences for a player who has suffered a long-term injury?
Injury Prevention - Do everything possible to prevent injuries from occurring! Very few teams/clubs work with screening/physical testing of their players. When the body grows unevenly, it is crucial to identify weaknesses or imbalances in mobility and strength. By hiring an expert like Magnus Keller from FCA, you, as a coach, can significantly reduce the risk of long-term injuries.
A good, preferably individualized, activation and strength program can be very beneficial.When Injury Strikes - Reduce Rehabilitation Time** - Most teams/clubs lack access to a medical team. It is important for your coaching staff to educate themselves in injury management and have access to basic medical equipment at every training session and match. Quick and correct handling of, for example, a sprained ankle can halve a player's rehabilitation period.
Do not leave the responsibility for a player’s rehabilitation to the player alone! Many players/parents make the mistake of going to a general practitioner when injured and receive the instruction to rest. This is the worst thing a player can do! General practitioners often know very little about injury management and rehabilitation. Guide the player to contact a physiotherapist if the club does not have its own contacts. A good physiotherapist can both treat the injury and provide the player with a proper rehabilitation program and share the program with the coaching staff so that you can better follow up on the player's rehabilitation. By involving yourself more in the player's rehabilitation, you strengthen the player’s belief in their full potential return to the team.
3. Include the Player in Team Activities as Much as Possible - The most important thing, which I have personally worked on when I have had long-term injured players, is to include the player in team activities as much as possible. The player is still expected to attend training sessions and do their rehab during these times. This helps ensure that, despite being away from the game itself, the player still participates in training and can be involved in player education theoretically by joining discussions during training and listening to reviews and feedback given to the team. As a coach, you can also give the player challenges during training to better include them in football education. For example, by asking the player to analyze how well the team is finding line-breaking passes, if that happens to be the focus of the training session, the player participates in education and is intellectually stimulated.
The individual is also socially stimulated and remains included in the group's development since the player is present with the group as if they were injury-free. The player meets their teammates as usual and does not risk falling behind as the group develops together and individuals find their roles. However, the player doesn't just need social stimulation from teammates; it is also essential for you, as a coach, to acknowledge the player and converse with them before, during, and after training so that they do not feel excluded. As a coach, you can ask for updates on how the rehab is progressing and, as mentioned above, include the player in training by giving them challenges.
If you film your matches, another good example of how you can challenge and develop a player during their rehabilitation is to assign them the task of creating clips and analyses of players who play in the position they normally occupy. A good dialogue with the player during this process is an effective way to build a bond with the player and actively support their development during rehabilitation.
4) Playing Time Upon Returning to Training - Depending on the level at which your team plays (e.g., if the team plays in a qualification series where results are important), it may be difficult for a player who has been away for a long time to win back their place in the team. Is there any opportunity to offer the player more playing time with another team within the club that plays in a lower division so they can quickly find their way back into the game?
Summary
A long-term injury can have several negative consequences for the individual, both related to their development as a football player and socially, and these consequences can negatively impact the player mentally. To mitigate this, I believe it is essential for coaches to educate themselves to prevent injuries and ensure that if they do occur, the rehabilitation period is as short as possible. During the rehabilitation period, it is very important to include the player in team activities as much as possible, so they are stimulated both theoretically and socially, regardless of the injury. Do you have any thoughts or experiences regarding this issue? Feel free to share!
