The influence of in-season injury prevention training on lower-extremity kinematics during landing in female soccer players.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of in-season injury prevention training on hip and knee kinematics during a landing task.


METHODS
Longitudinal pre-post intervention study.


METHODS
Testing sessions were conducted in a biomechanics research laboratory.


METHODS
Eighteen female soccer players between the ages of 14 and 17 participated in this study. All subjects were healthy with no current complaints of lower extremity injury.


METHODS
Testing sessions were conducted prior to and following a season of soccer practice combined with injury prevention training.


METHODS
During each testing session three-dimensional kinematics were collected while each subject performed a drop landing task. Peak hip and knee joint angles were measured during the early deceleration phase of landing and compared between pre- and post-training using paired t-tests.


RESULTS
Following a season of soccer practice combined with injury prevention training, females demonstrated significantly less hip internal rotation (7.1 degrees vs. 1.9 degrees; P = 0.01) and significantly greater hip abduction (-4.9 degrees vs. -7.7 degrees; P = 0.02). No differences in knee valgus or knee flexion angles were found post-season.


CONCLUSIONS
Female soccer players exhibited significant changes in hip kinematics during a landing task following in-season injury prevention training. Our results support the premise that a season of soccer practice combined with injury prevention training is effective in altering lower extremity motions that may play a role in predisposing females to ACL injury.
Pollard
Christine D
CD
Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9006, USA. cpollard@usc.edu
Sigward
Susan M
SM
Ota
Susumu
S
Langford
Karen
K
Powers
Christopher M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*