Prevention of Injuries by an Exercise Program - a RCT

Can Lower Extremity Overuse Injuries Be Prevented by an Exercise Program Aiming at Muscular Strength, Flexibility and Coordination - a RCT

Overuse injuries are a major concern for physical active individuals. Study hypothesis is that an exercise programme based on known intrinsic risk factors can prevent overuse injuries in soldiers undergoing basic military training.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Exertional Lower Leg Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: physical training program to prevent injuries

Detailed Description

PURPOSE: Overuse injuries are a major concern for physical active individuals engaged in endurance type activities. This is especially true for soldiers during basic military training or subjects with a sedentary lifestyle taking up exercise to prevent disease, as they are vulnerable for sustaining an overuse injury. Contradictory to traumatic injuries, little is known about the prevention of overuse injuries using a training program. This study evaluates the preventive effect of a training program based on known intrinsic risk factors for the occurrence of anterior knee pain and shin pain in soldiers undergoing basic military training. We also evaluate the effect on physical performance.

METHODS: From December 2004 - March 2006 1000 soldiers undergoing basic military training divided into 24 platoons are cluster randomised into a prevention-training (PRE) group or a placebo-training (PLA) group. The PRE group will perform exercises based on known intrinsic risk factors namely strength, flexibility and coordination of the lower extremity, while the PLA group will perform exercises for the upper body. Both programmes consists of 5 exercises and will be performed 3 times a week during a 12 weeks period. All subjects will prospectively be examined by the same observer, who will be blinded to the allocation.

OUTCOME: primary outcome: reduction in anterior knee pain and shin pain.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 900
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Basic military training in the Royal Danish Guards.
• Passed military medical board.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Injury before start of intervention

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: PREVENTION
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: DOUBLE

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
reduction in anterior knee pain
reduction in shin pain

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
reduktion in overuse injuries
physical performance

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Amager Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Christoffer Brushoj, MD, Amager Hospital DK-2300 Amager

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2004
• Study Completion: March 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2006
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2006
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): July 4, 2006

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): July 4, 2006
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2006
• Last Verified: December 1, 2004

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise; Prevention; Risk factors; Hip; Prospective; Overuse; Anterior knee pain syndrome; Exertional lower leg pain
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2003-1-62