Team Screens and Injury Prevention: Preparing for a Strong Season
By: Jake Walker, CSCS, Strength & Conditioning Program Manager at Elliott Physical Therapy
With tryouts and preseason training just around the corner, teams are gearing up for a busy fall. This is also the time when athletes are at their highest risk for injury. Sudden increases in training, changes in intensity, and the demands of competition can all put added stress on developing bodies. For athletic departments, club programs, and coaches, early injury prevention is key to keeping athletes healthy and competitive all season long.
Why Preseason Injury Prevention Matters
The first few weeks of a new season see some of the highest rates of injury. Athletes are transitioning from summer workouts (or in some cases, limited training) into daily practices, scrimmages, and conditioning. Without proactive screening, this transition period can lead to:
Overuse injuries like shin splints and tendonitis
Sprains and strains from fatigue or poor mechanics
Missed playing time that affects both the athlete and the team
Addressing these risks before the season starts helps athletes stay on the field, reduces lost practice time, and strengthens overall team performance.
What a Team Screen Involves
At Elliott Physical Therapy, we partner with schools, club teams, and athletic departments to provide team screens - structured assessments designed to evaluate how athletes move and identify potential injury risks.
Our approach combines:
Functional movement screen stations that test balance, flexibility, strength, and coordination.
Kinotek motion-capture technology, which records athletes performing sport-specific movements. The system delivers real-time mobility scores and highlights areas for improvement.
This process gives coaches and athletic directors a clear overview of their athletes’ readiness for the season.
Turning Results Into Performance Gains
After the screens, our clinicians compile the data into reports for teams and coaching staff. These reports don’t just flag areas of concern; they include sport-specific recommendations for corrective exercises and training adjustments that can be integrated into practice sessions.
The outcome:
Fewer injuries throughout the season
Stronger, more efficient movement patterns
Improved overall athletic performance
Building Stronger Teams From Day One
Preseason team screens give athletic programs the advantage of starting the year with healthier, better-prepared athletes. For coaches, it means fewer disruptions to lineups and training plans. For athletes, it means the confidence of knowing they are physically ready to compete.
About Elliott Physical Therapy
Family-owned and operated by Darryl and Patti Elliott since 2014, Elliott Physical Therapy is an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy company with nine locations in Massachusetts, including Hanover and Hingham. Focused on discovering and treating the underlying causes of injury and pain, expert clinicians at Elliott Physical Therapy use proven hands-on therapy and personalized home exercise programs to relieve your pain and improve your function. Learn more about Elliott Physical Therapy here.