A netball player has sustained an ankle injury and has been cleared to return to training. Evaluate how you would apply the FITT principle to design an appropriate anaerobic training program for their rehabilitation and return to play. (10 marks)
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Sample Answer
Frequency
- Initially limited to 2-3 sessions per week during early rehabilitation to allow adequate healing time and prevent re-injury
- Progressive increase to 3-4 sessions as recovery advances
- Return to normal training load (4-5 sessions) during late-stage rehabilitation.
Intensity – Progressive overload pattern:
- Beginning with low-intensity (50-60% of maximum effort) controlled movements focusing on proprioception and stability.
- Advancing to moderate intensity (60-80%) as pain and swelling decrease.
- Finally returning to sport-specific high-intensity (80-95%) anaerobic drills in the final rehabilitation phase.
Time considerations
- Initially focus on short duration activities (5-15 seconds) with extended rest periods (1:5 work-to-rest ratio) to prevent fatigue-related technique breakdown.
- Gradually progressing to sport-specific interval patterns (15-30 seconds of work with 30-90 seconds recovery) that replicate game demands.
Type of exercise
- Would start with controlled straight-line movements and basic strength exercises.
- Evolving to multi-directional movements, agility drills, and sport-specific netball movements (cutting, landing, pivoting) that challenge the ankle under progressively more game-like conditions.
Cross-training methods:
- Incorporated during early and mid-rehabilitation to maintain anaerobic fitness while reducing load on the injured ankle.
- For example swimming sprints or upper-body circuit training.
Assessment measures
- Implemented at each stage to evaluate readiness to progress, including pain levels, range of motion, strength testing, and functional performance tests specific to netball movements.
Psychological readiness:
- Considered alongside physical parameters when designing the program, as fear of re-injury can impair performance and increase injury risk through compensatory movement patterns.
The principle of specificity:
- Increasingly emphasised as rehabilitation progresses, with the final stages incorporating anaerobic training that closely mimics the position-specific demands the player will face during competition.
Individual response to training:
- Monitored closely, with the FITT variables adjusted based on how the ankle responds to progressive loading.
This periodised approach using the FITT principle ensures:
- A safe return to play by systematically rebuilding anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular control while protecting the healing ankle from excessive or inappropriate stress.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer
Frequency
- Initially limited to 2-3 sessions per week during early rehabilitation to allow adequate healing time and prevent re-injury
- Progressive increase to 3-4 sessions as recovery advances
- Return to normal training load (4-5 sessions) during late-stage rehabilitation.
Intensity – Progressive overload pattern:
- Beginning with low-intensity (50-60% of maximum effort) controlled movements focusing on proprioception and stability.
- Advancing to moderate intensity (60-80%) as pain and swelling decrease.
- Finally returning to sport-specific high-intensity (80-95%) anaerobic drills in the final rehabilitation phase.
Time considerations
- Initially focus on short duration activities (5-15 seconds) with extended rest periods (1:5 work-to-rest ratio) to prevent fatigue-related technique breakdown.
- Gradually progressing to sport-specific interval patterns (15-30 seconds of work with 30-90 seconds recovery) that replicate game demands.
Type of exercise
- Would start with controlled straight-line movements and basic strength exercises.
- Evolving to multi-directional movements, agility drills, and sport-specific netball movements (cutting, landing, pivoting) that challenge the ankle under progressively more game-like conditions.
Cross-training methods:
- Incorporated during early and mid-rehabilitation to maintain anaerobic fitness while reducing load on the injured ankle.
- For example swimming sprints or upper-body circuit training.
Assessment measures
- Implemented at each stage to evaluate readiness to progress, including pain levels, range of motion, strength testing, and functional performance tests specific to netball movements.
Psychological readiness:
- Considered alongside physical parameters when designing the program, as fear of re-injury can impair performance and increase injury risk through compensatory movement patterns.
The principle of specificity:
- Increasingly emphasised as rehabilitation progresses, with the final stages incorporating anaerobic training that closely mimics the position-specific demands the player will face during competition.
Individual response to training:
- Monitored closely, with the FITT variables adjusted based on how the ankle responds to progressive loading.
This periodised approach using the FITT principle ensures:
- A safe return to play by systematically rebuilding anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular control while protecting the healing ankle from excessive or inappropriate stress.