PReventive Outreach Through Exercise and Counseling Techniques in Soccer

Preventive Outreach Through Exercise and Counseling Techniques in Soccer (PROTECTS) was an innovative project that was jointly developed by academics, clinical experts and athletic/soccer trainers and players coming from different countries of Europe in order to PROTECT athletes, especially the youngest, from health and safety hazards in the “soccer field”. Its main goal was to identify the gaps in the strategies used for the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in soccer and in the counselling and communication skills that are needed aiming / so as to motivate the coaches and players in a safer participation to soccer and sports, and to propose certain strategies for physical (e.g. specific exercise drills) and mental preparation in order to contribute in the reduction of preventable musculoskeletal diseases during training and games. For the fulfillment of all previous goals, the open PROTECTS course now contains learning and assessment tools suitable for athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and sport physiotherapists and will guide them on how to effectively integrate the strategies proposed in their daily training processes and during games and competition. In conclusion, PROTECTS, a project that was created by a transdisciplinary team of experts, is expected to raise awareness for the importance of prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in the field of football and it will provide key techniques that could function as a “toolkit” for the modern exercise experts (coaches, soccer trainers and athletic trainers) and football athletes. The benefits of PROTECTS (https://rehlab.phyed.duth.gr/?page_id=8) is now expanding to the whole soccer community and consequently to the whole sports community proposing new ideas and models concerning the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries (e.g. proposal of specific exercise drills) through a concomitant use of counselling and communication skills contributing in this way in a safer participation to soccer and sports.