The number of teenage GAA players suffering injuries to their lower extremities has jumped in recent times, however a new prevention programme aims to tackle this problem.

According to chartered physiotherapist, Dr Clare Lodge, adolescent growth spurts, skeletal immaturity and training overload, make teen players very vulnerable to injuries, particularly if they are subject to poor training techniques and errors, such as mismatching groups who are not the same size or do not have the same experience.

Dr Lodge, a lecturer in IT Carlow, is set to lead the first ever National Adolescent Injury Prevention Programme - a unique collaboration between IT Carlow and the GAA.

The programme is designed to monitor and prevent the increasing problem of teen sports injuries and facilitate players to move from playing as teenagers to playing as adults.

"Adolescents are vulnerable in terms of overload and growth-related injuries in sport, and Gaelic games are no exception to this, with young players often playing for school, club and county, often in more than one age and, as a result, potentially exposing themselves to avoidable injuries," Dr Lodge commented.

She pointed out that injury risk factors that apply particularly to teenagers include a previous history of injury, skeletal immaturity and training overload. Other risk factors include a lack of flexibility, strength deficiency and late maturation for boys.

"This new research programme will set out to study this vulnerable cohort, surveying the modifiable risk factors, as well as assessing the effectiveness of specific strategies at potentially decreasing the incidence of injuries within this sporting group," Dr Lodge explained.

While other countries have introduced strategies and research programmes to reduce or prevent sports injuries in teenagers, this marks the first such research programme in Ireland.

It will be run from IT Carlow, with the full cooperation of the GAA. Participating schools will take part in structured warm-ups that incorporate five key areas linked to injury prevention. Self-wellness monitoring and self-reporting of injuries will also take place.

Coaches and trainers working with secondary schools in Leinster and Munster will also be included. They will be educated and mentored by a designated sports scientist throughout the season.

Players will be assessed at the start, middle and end of the research period to analyse any injuries that may occur.

According to Pat Daly, head of games development and research at the GAA, the findings of this programme ‘will have a strong bearing on informing and guiding optimal GAA practice guidelines when evaluating and implementing injury prevention strategies to young GAA teams'.

"It will offer great support to coaches, trainers and managers to optimise clinical care and support for their players. The rising costs of treatment and patient services, as well as high rates of insurance claims for lower limb injuries, also means that the most efficient, economic and optimal measures must be used to minimise injury and reduce costs," he added.