Physiotherapist Lucie Toušová: Sometimes It’s Necessary to Motivate the Players to Get More Sleep and Recover Better

Physiotherapist of the Czech women’s ball hockey national team, Lucie Toušová, offers a behind-the-scenes look at her work with the national squad. In the interview, she discusses the most common injuries among players, prevention and recovery options, as well as modern methods.

Fortunately, We Haven’t Had to Deal with Serious Injuries Yet

Lucie, could you tell us how you got involved as a physiotherapist with the women’s ball hockey national team?

I joined the ball hockey national team thanks to Anička Cíchová, who recommended me in 2023 for the Junior World Championship in Liberec to the U21 women’s team, whose head coach was Michal Broulík. The following year, Michal became the head coach of the women’s ball hockey national team and brought me along with him.

What types of physical problems or injuries do you most often encounter among female ball hockey players, and how do you try to prevent them during preparation?

Fortunately, most often these are “just” muscular issues (strains, bruises), which we address through muscle release techniques or taping, and if necessary by reducing the load. Recently, players have increasingly been dealing with overloaded and painful wrists, which limit them when shooting. Unfortunately, this cannot be resolved over a weekend or during a championship, as it requires a combination of techniques such as mobilization, stretching, and light strengthening, but above all, time — and sometimes even a break from sport. During camps and championships, we address this with mobilization techniques, wraps with anti-inflammatory ointments, compression bands, and taping for games using rigid tape or self-adherent bandages. Fortunately, we have not yet had to deal with any serious injuries.

How do you prepare players for demanding two-day camps so they can handle intensive training sessions and game situations?

I usually prepare the players mainly through taping. The girls should be able to handle two-day camps both physically and musculoskeletally. Most of the time, I deal with acute cases such as strained or bruised muscles, joint blockages, or minor injuries.

How do you combine injury prevention with recovery after training sessions and matches so that the players are as well prepared as possible?

Unfortunately, during camps there is usually not much time for preventive or recovery exercises and procedures. We try to include them, depending on time availability, mainly during championships, where we perform dynamic stretching focused on body movements typical for ball hockey. This type of stretching warms up the muscles and prepares them for exertion. After matches, we use foam rolling, which helps muscles recover without causing additional fatigue. I recommend that the girls use contrast showers for their legs at the accommodation, starting with warm water (pleasantly warm, not hot) for 1–3 minutes, followed by cool water (not ice-cold) for about 30 seconds. This cycle is repeated three to five times. An essential part of recovery is quality sleep, nutrition, hydration, and overall mental well-being.

Unfortunately, Ball Hockey Is Not Yet at a Level Where Cooperation with Conditioning Specialists Is Common

Can you describe what a typical recovery or compensation program looks like for national team players during the competitive season?

There is no set recovery or compensation program prepared for the players. Everything depends on how much time the girls invest in preparation before training sessions or matches, and in recovery and compensation afterward. This becomes evident at national team camps — some players approach warm-ups and activation at one hundred percent, others only halfway, and the same applies after performance. Many players stay on the field to do light stretching or foam rolling, while others head straight to the locker room.

How do you cooperate with coaches and conditioning specialists when setting up individual programs for players?

Unfortunately, ball hockey is not yet at a level where cooperation with conditioning specialists is standard. Or at least this is not the case within the women’s national team, as players usually have their own individual training plans. We also do not set up individual programs for the girls. However, I believe this kind of cooperation will soon find its way into ball hockey, as the level of the sport continues to rise. With the national team coaches, we discuss the players’ current condition — whether they are able to train or play at full capacity, or whether someone needs to be spared — but to be honest, the coaches don’t always listen to me (laughs).

Which modern physiotherapy or recovery methods have proven most effective for you, and why?

Among physiotherapy methods and tools, I have found Flossband compression bands to be the most effective. I use them to release strained muscles and joints. After removing the Flossband, blood flow increases in the treated tissue, followed by hydration, which supports healing and recovery. Another useful tool is the massage gun, which I also use during matches. It is excellent for muscle preparation before exertion, releasing muscle tension, speeding up muscle recovery, and reducing tissue pain. After matches, I often use cupping therapy, which improves blood circulation and supports lymphatic flow, helping to remove metabolites from tissues. Additional effects include muscle relaxation, post-exercise recovery support, relaxation, stress reduction, and pain relief. At this year’s junior championship, I introduced dry needling, which proved very effective. Dry needling is used to treat painful muscular trigger points, leading to pain relief, muscle relaxation, and faster recovery. The girls are also required to bring a foam roller, which is used for self-myofascial release. It is suitable before matches or training sessions to prepare muscles for exertion, as well as after performance to speed up recovery and release muscle tension.

How do you motivate players to be disciplined in their own recovery and injury prevention, and what role does team cooperation play in this?

The only area where players sometimes need motivation is sleep, because they don’t always realize that sleep is one of the main pillars of recovery. Recovery exercises are usually done as a team — and when the girls don’t cooperate, the team captain usually steps in and reminds them.