AFC Bournemouth benefits from local chiropractic college

May 4, 2010 — AFC Bournemouth has been working with the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) Clinic in Boscombe to help keep its players fit during this season.

Players from the Coca-Cola League Two side, who won promotion over the weekend, have been visiting the clinic since a Memorandum of Understanding between the Cherries and the AECC was signed in September 2009. The team at the AECC clinic is assisting the club with the diagnosis and rehabilitation of injuries and the delivery of high-intensity training programmes.

Over the last few months, AECC faculty involved in sports injuries and research have been developing an assessment programme for AFC Bournemouth.  These protocols are focused on identifying areas of potential biomechanical and muscular weakness. Senior Clinical Tutor and Director of Functional Assessment and the Exercise Centre, Neil Osborne, DC, PhD is heading up the programme. 

Dr. Osborne and his team of clinicians and scientists are interested in the reduction of non contact injuries in a variety of sports ranging from football to golf.  They are working on developing individual training routines to enhance on-pitch performance and decrease injuries for the players.

AECC has been working with the renowned MilanLab of AC Milan whose work has been credited with a 90 percent reduction in noncontact injuries.

As part of this initiative, Professor of Experimental Research, Jeff Bagust is also investigating a system of assessing athletic fitness by measuring the amount that the brain reduces the heart rate in sports people. It is probably the only fitness assessment test that involves you lying down and relaxing, rather than exercising as hard as you can.

The Cherries achieved promotion this season despite having one of the smallest playing squads in the division. Therefore the level of fitness and enhanced performance of their players is paramount to their success.  

AFC Bournemouth Physiotherapist Steve Hard has spoken positively about the club’s relationship with the AECC.

“Our relationship with the AECC has benefitted AFC Bournemouth this season. They have been able to build up a profile of the players through the tests undertaken. This has enabled them to address their weaknesses and thus help improve performance. Long may it continue during the coming years, and many thanks to the AECC for their help and support.”

Source: Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, www.aecc.ac.uk