Premier League physio on managing loads to avoiding injury

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, the principles of staying fit and injury-free remain the same. Here, physiotherapist Marc Mulligan explains how players can warm up effectively, manage their training load, and spot the warning signs of overuse – without all the sophisticated resources available at the elite level.

Adapting the pro warm-up

“At the professional level we typically use the RAMP warm-up method to prepare players physically and mentally for match conditions,” says Marc. “RAMP stands for Raise, Activate, Mobilise, and Potentiate – it’s a systematic way to progress from low-intensity movements to more explosive, sport-specific ones.”

The Raise phase focuses on increasing muscle temperature and neural activity. Players may do light jogging, side-stepping, or skipping. Activate then involves key muscles – glutes, quads, calves – through resistance band drills or lunges.

Mobilise aims to prepare the body’s range of motion with movements like hip circles or inchworms.

Finally, Potentiate brings it all together, adding explosive components – pogo hops, short sprints, and direction-changing – to replicate proper match conditions.

“It’s a framework you can scale back for any level and sport – it covers all the bases and can be done in about 10-15 minutes with little or no equipment.”

It’s just as important for weekend players to avoid overuse injuries

Why load management matters

“Load management is a huge consideration at elite level,” says Marc. “But it’s just as important for weekend players to avoid overuse injuries and burnout.”

For pros, technology like GPS, subjective questionnaires, and physical testing help gauge stress and recovery. At grassroots level, Marc says it’s about keeping it simple. “Track total minutes you’re playing or training, and combine it with your Rate of Perceived Exertion – a score from 1-10 – to produce a Global Training Load. That lets you watch for dramatic increases in load, which often raise the risk of injury.”

“Sleep and recovery are key signals,” adds Marc. “If you’re constantly waking up stiff or your sleep drops in quality, it’s a sign your body might be under too much stress.”

Injury warning signs

Some injuries start with a small niggle – persistent tightness or discomfort in a particular area. “If you have a niggle for 3-4 sessions in a row, it’s a sign you should get it assessed by a physiotherapist. An acute change – a pull, a twist, visible swelling – should be addressed immediately.”

Other warning signs include stiffness first thing in the morning or poor sleep, which may reflect a body under stress. “Neglect these signals and you’re more likely to suffer a more serious injury – a muscle tear, tendinopathy, or stress reaction – which can keep you out for much longer.”

“If you take a knock or pick up an injury, rest, reduce your load, and seek a professional opinion if it persists,” adds Marc. “A short period of rest and a tailored rehab programme often resolve most injuries quickly.” For acute injuries, resting, applying ice, and compression can help ease symptoms. “We try to avoid overuse of anti-inflammatories in the acute phase – medication can mask pain signals and interrupt the healing process.”