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These factors should be considered when exploring the results of the studies, they may be able to help researchers identify elements of control to input

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The studies do seem to show support for the idea that motor control training can lower the risk of injury in AFL players: particularly in lower body and head / neck injuries.

Further research would need to be conducted to definitively show whether or not outside influences have a stronger contribution to motor control  (e.g. gender, age, cognitive factors) or whether simply implementing a motor control training program would have more effect.

As an exercise scientist, if there are true benefits found in terms of injury prevention for athletes, then motor control training would need to be implemented across all sports as we want to see our athletes do well.

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Research into motor control not only of particular muscles but of activities such as respiration will need to be conducted as all of the activities will influence the amount of forces placed on the athlete.

Furthermore, in sports where there is additional respiratory demand, the motor control system needs to adapt to the competing demands of controlling intra-abdominal pressure and trunk control, while maintaining respiration. This will maintain stability of the spin and allow the athlete to co-ordinate safely between the stability demands of the sport and the respiratory demands

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Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal - Motor control retraining of of athletes with low back pain

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In terms of genetics and gender, an average athlete cannot change these things. For this reason, motor control training may have to be made specific to each athlete, rather than a general program for the whole team to follow.

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Lifestyle Factors: sleep, activity levels, sedentary behaviours, diet, vitality

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Lifestyle Factors: sleep, activity levels, sedentary behaviours, diet, vitality

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Physical Factors: habitual postures, movement patterns, muscle strength, endurance and flexibility

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Physical Factors: habitual postures, movement patterns, muscle strength, endurance and flexibility

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Sport Specific Factors: nature and demands of the task / level of training and type

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Sport Specific Factors: nature and demands of the task / level of training and type

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Structural Factors such as Connective Tissue Compliance and Resilience

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Structural Factors such as Connective Tissue Compliance and Resilience

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Motor control can be influenced by a large range of modifiable and non-modifiable factors.

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Research into the role of motor control in performance enhancement should be conducted as it will draw more attention from the eyes of athletes and coaches. Even though preventing injury is important, having a different focus of research may emphasis the importance of motor control to those playing the sport; if injury prevention is not their only priority

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Injury prevention in lower limbs and trunk is vital to AFL as you can only tackle another player below the shoulders and above the knees.

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When performing a motor skill or action in a sport, control and coordination of the muscles and joints are essential to be successful and safe in the movement.

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Research into the effects of different types of instruction or coaching on motor learning needs to be explored further, paritcularly if it is found to influence the athlete's ability to prevent injury or learn movement patterns (to further results from study#3)

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Other potential injuries need to be analysed, not just lower limb injuries or head / neck injuries, despite their higher incidence rate (in AFL)

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Athletes of different sports need to be put through similar motor control  training programs to eliminate results that may occur based on requirements or physical demands of a specific sporting context

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Athletes across different cultures and genders need to be studied, despite increased prevalence rates of a specific injury in one gender

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The third study not only explored the importance of motor control training but it also brought up the question of what motor control training and instruction is the most beneficial when learning complex movements and retaining the learnt knowledge

It reiterates the need for coaches to understand specifically what training styles are most effective as this may have an effect on the athlete's ability to retain information on movement patterns over the long term

It allows the coaches to understand which method of instruction will be most beneficial to their athletes in terms of performance but also in ensuring they stay safe and free from injury

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The second study was similar to the first in regards to focusing on the importance of trunk muscles such as the multifidus

The study indicated that motor control training programs were able to not only restore the size of the MF muscle, but also lowered the risk of lower limb injury

This shows the importance of motor control training not only in regular training, but also perhaps in rehabilitation of athletes as it could be a helpful addition in restoring the size of the muscle in athletes previously injured

Moreover, if coaches want longevity for their athletes, motor control training should be implemented to lower the incidence rates of lower limb injuries

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The first study illustrated that control of the multifidus muscle was a predictive factor in whether or not the AFL player would get a head or neck injury over the season

It also showed the importance of being able to control the muscles in the body consciously rather than emphasizing size of muscle,  in regard to injury prevention

It may suggest to coaches that the muscle mind connection may be an important aspect of training, rather than simply focusing on the goal of increasing muscle size for performance

It highlights the need for some aspects of training to be focused on motor control

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Motor Control is the study of how movements are controlled, or an athletes ability to control a muscle or segment of their body.

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If there is a possible benefit of implementing motor control training into training programs for athletes, then more studies need to be conducted by different teams on a range of different athletes to discover the best way to approach this.

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STUDY #3 Using Principles of Motor Learning to Enhance ACL Injury Prevention Programs

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STUDY #3 Using Principles of Motor Learning to Enhance ACL Injury Prevention Programs

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Study was conducted on female athletes as they more commonly have ACL injuries

Even with injury prevention programs that include plyometrics, strength training, agility and balance exercises; the researchers still found that the movement patterns trained were not sustained over the long term

Athletes were encouraged to CONSCIOUSLY take control of their movements (utilising the theory of internal attentional focus) and it may have not been effective instruction for complex movements

Study corroborated other findings that suggest external attentional focus facilitates better motor learning as it allows athletes to be more reactive to situations

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STUDY #2 Can Motor Control Training Lower the Risk of Injury for Professional Football Players?

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STUDY #2 Can Motor Control Training Lower the Risk of Injury for Professional Football Players?

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Lower limb injuries have the highest incidence and prevalence rates in AFL

Deficits in the multifidus (MF) muscle have been linked to the occurrence of lower limb injuries in pre-season AFL players

Motor control training programs have been effective in restoring the size and control of the MF muscle

Relationship between motor control training and occurrence of injuries has not been extensively examined

This study found that the risk of sustaining a lower limb injury was less for those who went through the motor control training

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Can motor control training lower the risk of injury for professional football players? - PubMed - NCBI

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STUDY #1  Motor control of the Trunk Muscles is Associated With Head and Neck Injuries in Professional AFL Players - an Exploratory Study 

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STUDY #1  Motor control of the Trunk Muscles is Associated With Head and Neck Injuries in Professional AFL Players - an Exploratory Study 

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Head and neck injuries are common in AFL

Studies have found that trunk muscle size is predictive of lower limb injuries

However, the position and the control of the trunk muscles in a movement allow for safe production, transfer, and control of forces and motion to all of the limbs / distal segments of the body

Therefore the trunk muscles need to be considered when discussing upper body injuries

The results of the study showed that the size of the multifidus muscle was not predictive of future head or neck injuries

The research did show that the ability to contract the multifidus muscle at the L5/S1 veterbrae level was a significant factor in predicting head / neck injuries.

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The effects of motor control training in injury prevention programs have not fully been explored across a variety of sports or with a variety of athletes.

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This area of study is needed because it may be able to help to reduce injuries in the sport of AFL and therefore lead to greater longevity of the athletes career, perhaps even an increase in performance of the team if less athletes are lost to injury