Developing a data-driven multimodal injury and illness prevention programme in male professional football based on a risk management model: the IP2 NetWork

Background: Current injury prevention programmes in football are limited by a one-size-fits-all approach, which predominantly focuses on preventive exercise programmes while ignoring differences in risk profiles between individuals and teams.

Objective: To address this gap, we developed a new data-driven, customisable approach based on the principles of risk management. We collaborated with key stakeholders to identify focus areas for injury and illness prevention and determine their priorities.

Setting: The team medical and coaching staff included members from 17 professional football clubs, the national team and a youth football academy in Qatar.

Methods: In 2015, we launched a series of annual workshops under the Aspetar Sports Injury and Illness Prevention Programme. The workshops included club medical personnel and fitness coaches in a process to develop team-specific programmes for injury and illness prevention based on the principle of risk management. Over 2 years, workshops refined focus areas through discussions, surveys and small-group presentations, culminating in the creation a novel programme for football injury prevention.

Results: Out of 44 focus areas first identified, 23 were selected as priorities for inclusion in multimodal injury and illness prevention programmes. The identified focus areas represent a variety of aspects, including social/behavioural/lifestyle, exercise programmes/training, load management, recovery and equipment. The top priorities included communication, the Nordic hamstring exercise, training load, recovery strategies, nutrition, sleep, warm-up, the Copenhagen adduction exercise and core and dynamic stability.

Conclusion: We have developed a comprehensive framework for preventing injuries and illnesses in football grounded in the general principles of risk management. This framework has proven feasible and led to the creation of a new multicomponent programme, The Aspetar IP² (Injury and Illness Prevention for Performance) NetWork, focusing on a range of areas beyond preventive exercise programmes only.