title: The Effectiveness of Injury Prevention Programs to Modify Risk Factors for Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Hamstring Injuries in Uninjured Team Sports Athletes: A Systematic Review.
abstract: Hamstring strain and anterior cruciate ligament injuries are, respectively, the most prevalent and serious non-contact occurring injuries in team sports. Specific biomechanical and neuromuscular variables have been used to estimate the risk of incurring a non-contact injury in athletes.
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidences for the effectiveness of injury prevention protocols to modify biomechanical and neuromuscular anterior cruciate and/or hamstring injuries associated risk factors in uninjured team sport athletes.
  
  
  
  PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane Libraries, U.S. National Institutes of Health clinicaltrials.gov, Sport Discuss and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant journal articles published until March 2015. A manual review of relevant articles, authors, and journals, including bibliographies was performed from identified articles.
  
  
  
  Nineteen studies were included in this review. Four assessment categories: i) landing, ii) side cutting, iii) stop-jump, and iv) muscle strength outcomes, were used to analyze the effectiveness of the preventive protocols. Eight studies using multifaceted interventions supported by video and/or technical feedback showed improvement in landing and/or stop-jump biomechanics, while no effects were observed on side-cutting maneuver. Additionally, multifaceted programs including hamstring eccentric exercises increased hamstring strength, hamstring to quadriceps functional ratio and/or promoted a shift of optimal knee flexion peak torque toward a more open angle position.
  
  
  
  Multifaceted programs, supported by proper video and/or technical feedback, including eccentric hamstring exercises would positively modify the biomechanical and or neuromuscular anterior cruciate and/or hamstring injury risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Sport Science, University of Greenwich. Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monajati
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States of America.
authors.forename: Eneko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Larumbe-Zabala
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Sport Science, University of Greenwich. Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goss-Sampson
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Sport Science, University of Greenwich. Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naclerio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056352:Athletes; D005260:Female; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult