appy+healthy
college 101
life skills
game on
tips & advice
resources
injury prevention
CORE
COUNTS
life skills
trends
scholarships
parent to parent
Gretchen D. Oliver PhD, FACSM, ATC is an assistant professor
of kinesiology at Auburn University and specializes in sports and
exercise science. She explains why when it comes to
preventing injuries in your student athlete, core strength is key.
When it comes to working out and preparing for
their sport, some athletes make the mistake of
focusing on one part of their body, often putting more emphasis on their legs or their arms.
According to Oliver, if athletes want to make sure
they play their best and stay healthy for the entire
season, overall fitness and total body conditioning
are musts.
Oliver pointed to balance as a basic skill needed
for safe play of any sport. “In younger athletes,
developing postural control and being able to balance is very important,” she said. “In most sports,
you come down on one foot some. If you can’t
control your center of gravity, you will fall or pop
your knee out of place or incur some other kind
of injury.” Her research suggests that core stability
plays a huge role in noncontact knee injuries.
That’s why she recommends all athletes maintain a strong core, what she terms the “lumbopelvic-hip complex.” “When you are working your
stomach, back, glutes and everything that supports
“
Athletes
should be
drinking plenty
of water all
day long,
every day.
“
18
your pelvis, that helps
keep it stable, helps
with balance and can
help prevent injury.
The musculature
that controls the
core is critical for
trunk stabilization and efficient movement of
the upper and lower extremities.”
And Oliver stressed that a strong core is not
just strong abdominal muscles. “We often forget
about the glutes, but they and the other muscles in
the lumbopelvic-hip complex are just as important,” she said.
get
started:
To achieve a strong core,
Oliver advises athletes do plank
and side plank exercises that
are held for 20 to 30 seconds
several times a day.
“That will make a big
difference,” she said.
Gretchen D. Oliver PhD, FACSM, ATC at Auburn
University does injury assessments and screenings, so if
you have concerns about your teen athlete or just want to
learn more, contact her at [email protected].
DRINK UP
School-year sports begin with football, and down here, even when autumn has officially arrived, it is
still dangerously hot for athletes practicing outside. Oliver offered this advice when it comes to safely
surviving the heat.
“Sometimes kids think they are weak if they need to get water at practice, but what they need to
understand is for them to be at their best, their body must stay hydrated,” she said. “It’s not weakness
to take a water break; it’s smart.”
She also pointed to the need for complete hydration, which means not just drinking water at or
after practice or a game. “Athletes should be drinking plenty of water all day long, every day.”
Athletes need to make sure they get the energy and nutrition they need from eating enough and
eating right too. “Many times, after an athlete gets really hot, they lose their appetite,” she said. “But
they still need to eat. Parents should encourage their teen athletes to eat a healthy meal, even if they
say they’re not hungry.”
www.potentialmagazine.com