Teen Sport Prep: Netball, AFL & Rugby Injury Prevention
Teen participation in sports like netball, AFL and rugby is a huge part of Brisbane’s active lifestyle culture. These sports help young athletes build confidence, teamwork and resilience but they also place significant stress on bodies that are still growing. In Australia, teenagers experience some of the highest rates of sports-related injuries with data showing that more than half of all injuries in 15–17-year-olds come from sport and overuse injuries are especially common during growth spurts.
Because teens’ bones, muscles and coordination develop at different rates, they’re more likely to experience strains, sprains and load-related issues compared to adults. This makes injury prevention just as important as skill training. With early assessment, movement screening and targeted strength or mobility guidance, a sports chiropractor can help identify imbalances before they turn into injuries, keeping young athletes strong, confident and ready to enjoy their sport safely.
Start with smart, sustainable training loads
Most teens today juggle club sports, school teams and personal training sessions, which can quickly add up to more physical stress than their developing bodies can handle. Because growth plates, muscles and tendons are still maturing, young athletes are more vulnerable to overload if training volume spikes too suddenly. Restricted recovery time raises the risk of overuse injuries, exhaustion and even burnout, all of which can affect development and enjoyment of the sport.
Coaches and parents should monitor weekly training load and rest days carefully. As a general guideline, increase training frequency or intensity gradually, ideally by no more than 10% to 15% per week. Slow, steady progression allows the body to adapt safely and reduces the risk of conditions like Osgood–Schlatter disease or Sever disease, which commonly affect growing athletes. Consistent, sustainable training builds long-term performance and resilience.
Prioritise dynamic warm-ups
For young athletes to stay safe and perform at their peak, quick movements and sport-specific drills are essential. The body cannot be prepared for the quick starts, stops and direction changes of rugby, AFL or netball by static stretching alone. A well-rounded warm-up ought to consist of:
Activation drills: Mini sprints, side shuffles and high knees to get muscles firing and the heart rate up.
Dynamic mobility exercises: Arm swings, leg swings and controlled jumps to improve joint range and coordination.
Sport-specific prep: Short bursts of movements that mimic game actions, like pivots, cuts or quick change-of-direction drills.
What matters is consistency. These exercises can help young athletes move more confidently both on and off the pitch, increase response time and lessen muscle tension in just a few minutes before practice or competition.
Understand growth-related changes
A teen's bones may lengthen more quickly than their muscles and tendons can adjust during growth spurts. Tightness, stiffness and transient imbalances in strength and flexibility can result from this normal process. Young athletes may experience coordination issues, find it difficult to perform once-easy actions or burn out more rapidly during practice and competition as a result. Although these changes are a normal aspect of development, if they are not carefully managed, they may raise the risk of sprains, strains and other overuse problems.
Coaches and parents should be on the lookout for warning indicators including limping during or after exercise, swelling around joints or chronic soreness. It's crucial to give the teen enough sleep and think about a professional evaluation if any of these symptoms show up. As the season goes on, early intervention with focused workouts, stretches or a visit with a sports chiropractor in North Brisbane (like us!) can help address imbalances, promote healthy growth and lower the risk of injuries.
Schedule a pre-season check with a sports chiropractor
One of the best things a young athlete can do before the season starts is to make an appointment for a pre-season evaluation with a sports chiropractor in Brisbane. These examinations do more than just 'cure aches', they assist in spotting early indicators of muscular deficiencies, mobility limitations or alignment problems that would otherwise result in injuries during practice or competition. Early detection of these problems enables focused exercises and modifications that promote safe, effective movement.
For young athletes, chiropractic care isn't just about cracking joints. Rather, it concentrates on enhancing stability, joint control and general biomechanics as the body develops. Teens are better equipped to handle the physical demands of sports like netball, AFL or rugby by treating imbalances and mobility limits prior to the start of the season. This lowers the chance of overuse injuries and improves their performance.
See also: TMJ Specialist Brisbane
The key to staying strong and injury-free
For teen athletes to perform at their peak, recuperation is just as crucial as training. The body might become fatigued, rigid and more vulnerable to injury if rest, sleep or adequate fluids are neglected. A well-rounded recuperation regimen ought to consist of:
Quality sleep: Aim for 8–10 hours per night to support growth, repair muscles and improve focus.
Hydration and nutrition: Water and nutrient-rich foods help fuel performance and speed up recovery.
Active recovery: Light stretching, gentle mobility drills or low-intensity movement on rest days helps maintain flexibility and circulation.
What matters is consistency. Young athletes may maintain their strength, flexibility and readiness for practice or competition with just a few minutes of focused recuperation each day, which will keep them injury-free and self-assured throughout the season.
Final thoughts
Teen athletes need to build up their bodies for safe, confident performance in addition to practicing skills and drills. Young athletes can lower their risk of injury and fully enjoy the game by controlling training loads, warming up dynamically and paying attention to growth-related changes.