Six evidence-based biomechanical domains that predict non-contact injury risk
Every student-athlete completes a 20-minute movement quality screening during the pre-season combine. The screening evaluates six domains, each targeting a different biomechanical risk factor. These are not fitness tests -- they are validated clinical screening tools adapted for field use.
Evaluates lower extremity alignment, hip and knee control, and trunk stability during a loaded single-leg movement. Identifies valgus collapse -- a primary predictor of ACL injury.
Observes bilateral landing mechanics during a repeated jumping task. Flags asymmetries in knee separation, foot placement, and landing stiffness that indicate neuromuscular deficits.
A standardized tool for quantifying landing biomechanics during a jump-landing task. Captures errors in hip flexion, knee valgus, trunk lean, and ground contact pattern.
Measures dynamic balance and reach asymmetry in three directions. Identifies side-to-side imbalances that are strongly correlated with lower extremity injury risk.
Assesses functional power and stability during a single-leg takeoff and landing. Limb symmetry index (LSI) below 90% is a validated risk indicator.
Evaluates the athlete's ability to control momentum during change-of-direction tasks. Poor deceleration mechanics are implicated in a majority of non-contact ACL injuries.
Padua et al. (2009): Landing Error Scoring System is a valid clinical screening tool for ACL injury risk. Plisky et al. (2006): Y-Balance asymmetry >4cm predicts lower extremity injury with 2.5x relative risk.
Five tiers from standard to critical, each with defined protocols
Each athlete receives a composite risk score that maps to a color-coded tier. Tiers drive warm-up assignment, monitoring frequency, and escalation protocols. The system is designed to be actionable without requiring medical expertise from coaches or administrators.
Standard warm-up protocol. No modifications needed. Routine seasonal monitoring.
One domain flagged. Targeted exercises added to warm-up. Monitored weekly. Very common -- typically 20-30% of athletes.
Multiple domains flagged. Modified warm-up with 3-5 additional targeted exercises. Coach and AD alerted. Re-screen recommended at midseason.
Significant biomechanical concern. Restricted activities recommended. Re-screen in 2 weeks. Parent notification. AD and coach briefed.
Professional referral required before return to full participation. AD, coach, and parent notified immediately. Documentation generated for referral provider.
Sugimoto et al. (2015): Neuromuscular warm-ups reduce ACL injury by 50%. Risk stratification allows targeted allocation of prevention resources to highest-risk athletes.
Evidence-based injury prevention warm-ups assigned by sport and customized by tier
Warm-up protocols are drawn from validated injury prevention programs, including neuromuscular training, dynamic stabilization, and plyometric progressions. Protocols are assigned based on two factors:
Each coach gets a team warm-up card showing the base protocol (12-15 minutes) plus a modification list for flagged athletes. Exercises include illustrated descriptions. No special training required.
FIFA 11+ reduces injury incidence by 30-50% across 15+ randomized controlled trials. The PEP Program reduces ACL injuries by 72% in female athletes (Mandelbaum et al., 2005).
Weekly hours tracking, specialization alerts, and workload ratios
Overtraining is one of the strongest predictors of youth sports injury. Athletes who exceed recommended weekly training thresholds, specialize in a single sport year-round, or experience rapid spikes in training volume are at significantly elevated risk.
Training load data surfaces in the AD dashboard as weekly alerts. If an athlete's workload spikes -- for example, during a tournament week or when playing for both a school and club team simultaneously -- the AD receives a notification with context and recommended action.
Emery et al. (2015): Structured training load management reduces all youth sports injuries by 35%. Gabbett (2016): Acute-to-chronic workload ratio is the strongest modifiable predictor of injury in team sports.
Lifestyle factors that integrate with movement data to adjust risk dynamically
Athletes complete brief weekly check-ins capturing sleep hours, perceived stress, hydration habits, and any pain or soreness. These take less than 60 seconds and can be completed via mobile device.
Recovery data modifies the base risk tier. An athlete who screens as GREEN but reports chronic sleep deprivation and high stress may be temporarily elevated to YELLOW for additional warm-up attention. Conversely, strong recovery habits can support tier maintenance over time.
The dashboard flags athletes whose self-reported recovery is consistently below thresholds. This allows proactive conversation with coaches and families before a minor issue becomes an injury.
Connecting with your existing athletics management infrastructure
Your school's existing athletics management platform integrates with Better Athlete for roster syncing, schedule awareness, and parent communication. When a new athlete is added to a team roster, they automatically appear in the Better Athlete system. Practice and game schedules inform training load calculations.
Risk tier notifications and seasonal reports are delivered through your existing parent communication channels. Better Athlete generates the content; your platform delivers it -- maintaining a consistent communication experience for families.
Dashboard views designed for quick decision-making
Each morning, the AD receives a summary of overnight changes: new pain reports, workload spikes, recovery flags, and any tier changes. Typical digest takes less than 2 minutes to review.
A single screen showing every active team with their risk distribution: how many GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE, and RED athletes are on each roster. Color-coded bars allow instant comparison across sports.
A trend line showing the total number of elevated-risk athletes (ORANGE+RED) across the program over time. Allows ADs to see whether the program is reducing risk or whether a specific sport is trending upward.
Before each game, a filtered view shows only athletes on that day's roster with their current tier, last pain report, and warm-up compliance status. One glance confirms readiness.
From pre-season combine to end-of-season report
All fall sport athletes complete the 6-domain movement screening during the first week of pre-season. Better Athlete staff administer the combine. Coaches and ADs observe but do not need to participate. Duration: approximately 2 hours per team.
Evidence-based warm-ups assigned and tracked. Weekly self-reports collected. Training load monitored. Dashboard alerts reviewed daily by AD. Coach briefings as needed for tier changes.
All athletes repeat the 6-domain screening. Individual and team-level progress reports generated. Parent reports sent. AD receives a program-wide summary with season injury data.
Athletes transitioning to winter sports carry their data forward. Winter sport coaches receive modified warm-up cards based on fall screening results. Multi-sport athletes benefit from continuous monitoring.