Lack of Injury Prevention

Prince Amukamara was interviewed by SNY/Ralph Vacchiano. He was asked why the NY Giants were facing a rash of injuries.

Amukamara: “53-60 guys on this team and each one has a different way to eat, a different way they work out, a different way they hydrate themselves, so it’s probably many factors.”

This information is a red flag for the S&C program. We have spent months on this NY Giants blog discussing the practices required in training. Regimented and strict procedures are needed so that players do precisely the correct steps in conditioning and strength. To hear that players have their own way that they work out implies not enough structure and not enough supervision. The fitness instructor we interviewed over the summer delineated a strict set of steps required to build flexibility in muscles before building strength. Two MD Physiatrist Professors who are experts in sports medicine concurred that a lack of proper procedure (not stretching with enough range of motion) was almost certainly responsible for the pectoral tear of Beatty.

Prevention of injuries requires a dedication to standardized repetitive procedures that are followed meticulously. I don’t see the structure implied by Amukamara’s remarks. While I will qualify this post with the fact that more followup questions and investigation are required, there is an omission of best practices inherent in the remark shared by the Giants Cornerback. I would go back to Walter Thurmond of the Eagles (they play the Gmen on Monday, what better time?!) and ask him about Seattle, Philadelphia and NY Giants practice structure & conditioning. I would ask specifically about whether or not conditioning procedures are different for each player, and if so, how. And I would of course follow up the Spring ’15 comments with more color on how the Giants are behind their peers in training techniques.

Separately, it is official.  After 5 games in the 2015 Season, not even including JPP, the NY Giants are in last place with injuries again.  It really does not matter whether the Giants are 26th or 32nd in the NFL.  It matters that they are continually underachieving here for 7 years.