title: Enhanced retention of drop vertical jump landing technique: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: External focus instructions have been shown to result in superior motor performance compared to internal focus instructions. Using an EF may help to optimize current anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programs. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of instructions on landing technique and performance by comparing an external focus (EF), internal focus (IF), video (VI) and control (CTRL) group. Subjects (age 22.50±1.62years, height 179.70±10.43cm, mass 73.98±12.68kg) were randomly assigned to IF (n=10), EF (n=10), VI (n=10) or CTRL group (n=10). Landing was assessed from a drop vertical jump (DVJ) in five sessions: pretest, two training blocks (TR1 and TR2) and directly after the training sessions (post test) and retention test 1week later. Group specific instructions were offered in TR1 and TR2. Landing technique was assessed with the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and jump height was taken as performance measure. The results show that males in the VI group and females both in the VI and EF groups significantly improved jump-landing technique. Retention was achieved and jump height was maintained for males in the VI group and females both in the VI and EF groups. It is therefore concluded that EF and VI instructions have great potential in ACL injury prevention.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Welling
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; School of Sport Studies, Hanze University, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.benjaminse@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benjaminse
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gokeler
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Otten
mesh_terms: D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001288:Attention; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D012057:Reinforcement, Verbal; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ACL injury; Attentional focus; Jump landing performance; Motor learning; Technique