BokSmart 'Safe Six' exercises

BokSmart, the South African Rugby Union’s national rugby safety programme, has introduced a group of injury prevention exercises as part of an innovative new strategy called the BokSmart “Safe Six”.

Dr Wayne Viljoen, BokSmart Senior Manager, said: “Injury surveillance studies in rugby have identified that the knee, hamstrings, lower limb, ankle and shoulder are often injured, are generally more severe and are potentially also preventable.

“The BokSmart ‘Safe Six’ exercises specifically target these areas of the body, and have been packaged in such a way as to be reasonably challenging, but still easy to implement, and without any equipment required. The exercises are well-established and frequently used in injury prevention and rehabilitation settings.

“The exercises have been chosen to focus on joint stability, strength, balance and control, and can be done in a very short time, and can even be incorporated into the warm-up at practices.”

The following exercises, which are all available to download on www.boksmart.com, form part of the “Safe Six”:

·         The Six Metre Shuttle Run

·         The Six Point Lunge

·         The Butt-Smart Six

·         The Six-on-a-side Push and Twist

·         The Six-Bok Lunge

·         Six Dynamic Reaches

Viljoen added: “We encourage all coaches, players, parents, teachers and anyone involved in rugby to use the BokSmart ‘Safe Six’. Let’s all work together in keeping our players on the fields playing rugby and reaping all of the health, teamwork and social benefits of playing the game.”

The BokSmart “Safe Six” will be circulated to all rugby stakeholders, including but not limited to Primary Schools, High Schools, and Clubs in South Africa, for immediate implementation countrywide for all age-groups Under-13 and above.

CLICK HERE to see a full poster explaining each exercise.