Preventing Knee Injuries in Adolescent Female Football Players

Overview

Football-related knee injuries are common and especially the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury constitute a serious problem in football regardless of the playing level. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a training program designed to prevent acute knee injury in female adolescent football players. The investigators' hypotheses are: 1. a preventive training program reduces the incidence of ACL injury, and 2. a high match frequency and match play at senior level increase the risk of ACL injury.

Full Title of Study: “Preventing Knee Injuries in Adolescent Female Football Players – Protocol of a Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Prevention
    • Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: October 2010

Interventions

  • Behavioral: Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005
    • The preventive program (Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005) consists of six exercises focusing on knee control and core stability and is performed during the warm-up at two training sessions per week throughout the 2009 competitive season.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: Intervention group
    • The clubs in the intervention group are instructed to perform a warm-up program at two training sessions per week throughout the entire 2009 competitive season.
  • Active Comparator: Control group
    • The clubs in the control group are instructed to train and play as usual throughout the 2009 season

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • The incidence of ACL injury
    • Time Frame: One competitive football season

Secondary Measures

  • The incidence of any acute knee injury except contusion
    • Time Frame: One competitive football season

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • Teams with female football players aged 13-17 years Exclusion Criteria:

  • Teams that did not reply to the invitation or declined participation – Teams having less than two scheduled training sessions per week – Teams already using the preventive program

Gender Eligibility: Female

Minimum Age: 13 Years

Maximum Age: 17 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Region Skane
  • Collaborator
    • Swedish Football Association
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Markus Waldén, MD, PhD, Linköping University
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Markus Waldén, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, Linkoeping University

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