Core Stability Measures as a Risk Factor for the Development of Lower Extremity Injuries in Physical Education Students

Core Stability as a Risk Factor for the Development of Lower Extremity Injuries: a Prospective Study

Male and female physical education students were subjected to a clinical test battery comprised of valid and reliable tests to measure different aspects of core stability at the start of the study. After a period of 2 months testing, the injury registration procedure started with the use of an online injury registration platform and regular call back moments. After 2 years of injury registration, all data was gathered and will be analysed statistically to link the measured core stability aspects as risk factors for certain lower extremity injuries.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Leg Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Core stability tests

Detailed Description

September 2014 - December 2014: 139 male and female participants 18+ were subjected to different test to evaluate corresponding aspects of core stability. The following test were performed: Star excursion balance test; Lumbopelvic proprioception test; Lumbopelvic neuromuscular control test; Lateral step down test; Hip strength test measured with a handheld dynamometer(flexion/extension/abduction/adduction/internal rotation/external rotation); Trunk strength tests measured with a handheld dynamometer (trunk flexion and trunk extension) and core muscle endurance tests (prone bridging test/Biering-Sorenson test/side bridging tests).

January 2015 - April 2017: Prospective follow up of lower extremity injury contracted during sports activity. The injuries were confirmed by a medical examiner and were recorded in an online injury registry platform (Survey Monkey).

Statistical analysis will be performed to evaluate which core stability outcome measure can be considered a risk factor for the development of lower extremity injuries.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 139
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Ghent, Belgium, 9000
    • Vakgroep REVAKI (Ghent University - Ghent University Hospital)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- 1st year of physical education study (enrolled at the Artevelde graduate school or the Ghent graduate school

Exclusion Criteria:

• Musculoskeletal injury at the time of study participation
• Pre-existing lower back injury
• Pre-existing lower extremity injury (less than 6 months prior to study participation)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Screening
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Healthy cohort; Core stability test	Other: Core stability tests; A test battery comprised of field tests to evaluate core stability

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Core muscle strength	Isometric strength of trunk flexor and trunk extensor musculature measured in Newton	2 hours
Hip strength	Isometric strength of hip flexor, hip extensor, hip abductor, hip adductor and hip rotator muscles measured in Newton	2 hours
Postural control	Anterior, posterolateral and posteromedial reaching distance during unipodal stance, measured in cm	2 hours
Core muscle endurance	Endurance capacity of ventral, dorsal and lateral core musculature, measured in seconds	2 hours
Sensorimotor control of core musculature	Propriocention and neuromuscular control of the lumbopelvic muscles using a qualitative assessment sheet	2 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Injury history	Previous lower extremity injuries, recorded using a questionnaire	2 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Ghent
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Philip Roosen, PT, PhD, University Ghent

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• De Blaiser C, De Ridder R, Willems T, Danneels L, Vanden Bossche L, Palmans T, Roosen P. Evaluating abdominal core muscle fatigue: Assessment of the validity and reliability of the prone bridging test. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2018 Feb;28(2):391-399. doi: 10.1111/sms.12919. Epub 2017 Jun 28.
• De Blaiser C, Roosen P, Willems T, Danneels L, Bossche LV, De Ridder R. Is core stability a risk factor for lower extremity injuries in an athletic population? A systematic review. Phys Ther Sport. 2018 Mar;30:48-56. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2017.08.076. Epub 2017 Aug 24.
• Kibler WB, Press J, Sciascia A. The role of core stability in athletic function. Sports Med. 2006;36(3):189-98. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200636030-00001.
• Willson JD, Dougherty CP, Ireland ML, Davis IM. Core stability and its relationship to lower extremity function and injury. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2005 Sep;13(5):316-25. doi: 10.5435/00124635-200509000-00005.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 10, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 10, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): November 17, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 17, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 10, 2017
• Last Verified: November 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Abdominal muscles; Back muscles; Core stability; Field test; Muscle strength dynamometer; Lower extremity injury; Risk assessment; Prospective studies
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Leg Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2014/0780

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: No individual participant data will be shared after completion of the study

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No