Dynamic Balance, Flexibility and Agility as Predictors of Lower-extremity Injury in Football Players

LOWER-LIMB INJURY Clinical Trial

Official title:

Prospective Cohort Study, Follow-up of Subjects Over Long Periods, Assessment of Test Reliability in Predicting Injury Risk

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04232527
• Other study ID #: DMijatovic
• Status: Completed
• Start date: January 20, 2020
• Est. completion date: August 26, 2020

Study information

• Verified date: August 2020
• Source: University of Mostar
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

This research investigates the reliability of tests to assess injury risk. Participants will be tested at the beginning of the survey and will be monitored for over 5 months. Participants will take 4 types of tests related to dynamic balance, flexibility, and agility. Subsequently, the relationship between test results and the incidence of injury in the subjects will be analyzed. If the tests prove reliable, they will be included in standard tests to assess the risk of injury to football players.

Description:

Too often, injuring athlete results in a large amount of money being spent on rehabilitation. In a world of sports where the speed of recovery means a lot, ways are sought first and foremost to minimize the frequency of non-contact injuries. To prevent certain things, it is important to know the initial state, therefore, to see if certain factors at the outset indicate to us that there is a certain imbalance that can result in the injury. Since we live in a country where sports clubs are unable to spend large amounts of money on rehabilitation, it would be of great benefit to find reliable tests that can help to prevent an injury. Studies have shown that tests of balance, flexibility, and agility can help to prevent injury to football players in other countries. The same tests will be applied to Premier League footballers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their effectiveness in assessing the degree of risk of lower limb injuries will be tested. If they prove reliable, they can become a standard in the prevention of these injuries, that is, they will help in the development of injury prevention programs, which would be of great benefit to both clubs and football players.

The study aims to determine whether dynamic balance and flexibility tests can be used as reliable predictors of lower limb injuries in football players and whether reduced agility influences the increased risk of injury.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 110
• Est. completion date: August 26, 2020
• Est. primary completion date: February 15, 2020
• Gender: Male
• Age group: 18 Years to 40 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Professional players

• Age above 18 years

• Voluntary access to research

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age under 18,

• Refusal to take the research,

• Remaining in the club until the end of the examination,

• Errors in keeping records of injuries by responsible persons,

• Injuries to the lower limbs in the last ten days,

• Vestibular disorders.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Leg Injuries
• LOWER-LIMB INJURY
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Diagnostic Test:
• Y Balance Test
The footballer will place one foot on the stationary platform of the test set during the test so that the top of the sneaker does not exceed the starting line. The second foot, or the tip of the foot, will push the movable part of the platform down the measuring tube, which is marked by half-inch intervals. Any lifting of the standing leg on the heel, on the toes or loss of balance will be considered a mistake and the attempt will be repeated. Mobility will be tested through 3 trial and 3 valid measurements of the lower limbs in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. The arms should rest on the hips.
• Sit and Reach Test
This test involves sitting on the floor with your legs stretched straight forward. Shoes should be removed. The feet themselves are set straight against the box. Both knees must be stretched. With the palms facing down and the palms side-by-side or side-by-side, the subject approaches the measurement line as far as possible. It is important to keep your hands in the same position level, not that one reaches further than the other. Once the subject has reached the maximum distance, hold this position for one to two seconds and record the distance.
• "Maximum Legs Abduction" Test
Seated legs abduction is a test to assess the flexibility of the groin region. Respondent without the shoe sits with its back and head resting against the wall. As a sign, the subject extends the legs (stretches) to the maximum extent. During the test, the legs should not be bent at the knee joint.
• S_RAG (reactive agility)" Test
The test consist of fast-moving forward, and a change of direction conditioned by visual stimuli.
• S_CODS (change of direction speed) Test
S_CODS (change of direction speed) is a test that allows athletes to outperform their opponents in situations where they can pre-define a movement pattern.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Bosnia and Herzegovina	NK "Široki Brijeg"	Široki Brijeg

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Dragan Mijatovic

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

References & Publications (16)

Brunner R, Friesenbichler B, Casartelli NC, Bizzini M, Maffiuletti NA, Niedermann K. Effectiveness of multicomponent lower extremity injury prevention programmes in team-sport athletes: an umbrella review. Br J Sports Med. 2019 Mar;53(5):282-288. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098944. Epub 2018 Sep 10. Review. — View Citation

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Greenberg ET, Barle M, Glassmann E, Jung MK. INTERRATER AND TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY OF THE Y BALANCE TEST IN HEALTHY, EARLY ADOLESCENT FEMALE ATHLETES. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019 Apr;14(2):204-213. — View Citation

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Kiesel K, Plisky P, Butler R. Functional movement test scores improve following a standardized off-season intervention program in professional football players. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2011 Apr;21(2):287-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01038.x. — View Citation

Kinzey SJ, Armstrong CW. The reliability of the star-excursion test in assessing dynamic balance. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1998 May;27(5):356-60. — View Citation

Lee SK, Ahn SH. Effects of balance evaluation comparison of dynamic balance and Y balance. J Exerc Rehabil. 2018 Dec 27;14(6):939-943. doi: 10.12965/jer.1836494.247. eCollection 2018 Dec. — View Citation

Lisman P, Nadelen M, Hildebrand E, Leppert K, de la Motte S. Functional movement screen and Y-Balance test scores across levels of American football players. Biol Sport. 2018 Sep;35(3):253-260. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2018.77825. Epub 2018 Aug 27. — View Citation

McGuine TA, Keene JS. The effect of a balance training program on the risk of ankle sprains in high school athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2006 Jul;34(7):1103-11. Epub 2006 Feb 13. — View Citation

Robinson RH, Gribble PA. Support for a reduction in the number of trials needed for the star excursion balance test. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Feb;89(2):364-70. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.08.139. — View Citation

Sekulic D, Spasic M, Mirkov D, Cavar M, Sattler T. Gender-specific influences of balance, speed, and power on agility performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Mar;27(3):802-11. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825c2cb0. — View Citation

Sheppard JM, Young WB. Agility literature review: classifications, training and testing. J Sports Sci. 2006 Sep;24(9):919-32. Review. — View Citation

Sipe CL, Ramey KD, Plisky PP, Taylor JD. Y-Balance Test: A Valid and Reliable Assessment in Older Adults. J Aging Phys Act. 2019 Sep 1;27(5):663-669. doi: 10.1123/japa.2018-0330. — View Citation

Sisic N, Jelicic M, Pehar M, Spasic M, Sekulic D. Agility performance in high-level junior basketball players: the predictive value of anthropometrics and power qualities. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2016 Jul-Aug;56(7-8):884-93. Epub 2015 May 5. — View Citation

van Mechelen W. Running injuries. A review of the epidemiological literature. Sports Med. 1992 Nov;14(5):320-35. Review. — View Citation

Wong TKK, Ma AWW, Liu KPY, Chung LMY, Bae YH, Fong SSM, Ganesan B, Wang HK. Balance control, agility, eye-hand coordination, and sport performance of amateur badminton players: A cross-sectional study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jan;98(2):e14134. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000014134. — View Citation

* Note: There are 16 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	The incidence	The main outcome measure is the incidence, that is, the number of newly injured players over almost five months.	5 month
Secondary	Questionnaire to evaluate the current situation with lower limb injuries in football players	It consists of 20 questions that ask about the condition of the lower limbs in tested football players.	5 minutes
Secondary	Y balance test	Mobility will be tested through 3 trial and 3 valid measurements of the lower limbs in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions.	15 minutes
Secondary	Sit and Reach test	The Sit and Reach Test is a common muscle and lower back flexion test and is now widely used as a general flexibility test.	5 minutes
Secondary	Maximum legs abduction Test	A seat abduction test is a test to assess the flexibility of the groin regions. The footballer extends his legs as far as possible (stretches). The distance between the inner malleolus is measured in centimeters tape.	5 minutes
Secondary	S_RAG (reactive agility) Test	S_RAG (reactive agility) Test is emphasized when athletes perform a change of direction while responding to an external visual stimulus.	10 minutes
Secondary	Measuring the length of the legs	Anthropological measures will be taken (from the spin of the iliac anterior superior to the middle of the inner malleolus).	2 minutes
Secondary	S_CODS (change of direction speed) Test	S_CODS (change of direction speed) is a test that allows athletes to outperform their opponents in situations where they can pre-define a movement pattern.	2 minutes