Dynamic Balance, Flexibility and Agility as Predictors of Lower-extremity Injury in Football Players

August 26, 2020 updated by: Dragan Mijatović

Prospective Cohort Study, Follow-up of Subjects Over Long Periods, Assessment of Test Reliability in Predicting Injury Risk

This research investigates the reliability of tests to assess injury risk. Participants will be tested at the beginning of the survey and will be monitored for over 5 months. Participants will take 4 types of tests related to dynamic balance, flexibility, and agility. Subsequently, the relationship between test results and the incidence of injury in the subjects will be analyzed. If the tests prove reliable, they will be included in standard tests to assess the risk of injury to football players.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Too often, injuring athlete results in a large amount of money being spent on rehabilitation. In a world of sports where the speed of recovery means a lot, ways are sought first and foremost to minimize the frequency of non-contact injuries. To prevent certain things, it is important to know the initial state, therefore, to see if certain factors at the outset indicate to us that there is a certain imbalance that can result in the injury. Since we live in a country where sports clubs are unable to spend large amounts of money on rehabilitation, it would be of great benefit to find reliable tests that can help to prevent an injury. Studies have shown that tests of balance, flexibility, and agility can help to prevent injury to football players in other countries. The same tests will be applied to Premier League footballers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their effectiveness in assessing the degree of risk of lower limb injuries will be tested. If they prove reliable, they can become a standard in the prevention of these injuries, that is, they will help in the development of injury prevention programs, which would be of great benefit to both clubs and football players.

The study aims to determine whether dynamic balance and flexibility tests can be used as reliable predictors of lower limb injuries in football players and whether reduced agility influences the increased risk of injury.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

110

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 40 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

About 110 players (out of about 400 competing in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina) would be included in the research.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Professional players
  • Age above 18 years
  • Voluntary access to research

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age under 18,
  • Refusal to take the research,
  • Remaining in the club until the end of the examination,
  • Errors in keeping records of injuries by responsible persons,
  • Injuries to the lower limbs in the last ten days,
  • Vestibular disorders.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Professional Footballers
About 110 players (out of about 400 competing in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina) would be included in the research.
The footballer will place one foot on the stationary platform of the test set during the test so that the top of the sneaker does not exceed the starting line. The second foot, or the tip of the foot, will push the movable part of the platform down the measuring tube, which is marked by half-inch intervals. Any lifting of the standing leg on the heel, on the toes or loss of balance will be considered a mistake and the attempt will be repeated. Mobility will be tested through 3 trial and 3 valid measurements of the lower limbs in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. The arms should rest on the hips.
This test involves sitting on the floor with your legs stretched straight forward. Shoes should be removed. The feet themselves are set straight against the box. Both knees must be stretched. With the palms facing down and the palms side-by-side or side-by-side, the subject approaches the measurement line as far as possible. It is important to keep your hands in the same position level, not that one reaches further than the other. Once the subject has reached the maximum distance, hold this position for one to two seconds and record the distance.
Seated legs abduction is a test to assess the flexibility of the groin region. Respondent without the shoe sits with its back and head resting against the wall. As a sign, the subject extends the legs (stretches) to the maximum extent. During the test, the legs should not be bent at the knee joint.
The test consist of fast-moving forward, and a change of direction conditioned by visual stimuli.
S_CODS (change of direction speed) is a test that allows athletes to outperform their opponents in situations where they can pre-define a movement pattern.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The incidence
Time Frame: 5 month
The main outcome measure is the incidence, that is, the number of newly injured players over almost five months.
5 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Questionnaire to evaluate the current situation with lower limb injuries in football players
Time Frame: 5 minutes
It consists of 20 questions that ask about the condition of the lower limbs in tested football players.
5 minutes
Y balance test
Time Frame: 15 minutes
Mobility will be tested through 3 trial and 3 valid measurements of the lower limbs in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions.
15 minutes
Sit and Reach test
Time Frame: 5 minutes
The Sit and Reach Test is a common muscle and lower back flexion test and is now widely used as a general flexibility test.
5 minutes
Maximum legs abduction Test
Time Frame: 5 minutes
A seat abduction test is a test to assess the flexibility of the groin regions. The footballer extends his legs as far as possible (stretches). The distance between the inner malleolus is measured in centimeters tape.
5 minutes
S_RAG (reactive agility) Test
Time Frame: 10 minutes
S_RAG (reactive agility) Test is emphasized when athletes perform a change of direction while responding to an external visual stimulus.
10 minutes
Measuring the length of the legs
Time Frame: 2 minutes
Anthropological measures will be taken (from the spin of the iliac anterior superior to the middle of the inner malleolus).
2 minutes
S_CODS (change of direction speed) Test
Time Frame: 2 minutes
S_CODS (change of direction speed) is a test that allows athletes to outperform their opponents in situations where they can pre-define a movement pattern.
2 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Damir Sekulić, PhD, KIF Split

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 20, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 15, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

August 26, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 14, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

January 18, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 28, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2020

Last Verified

August 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • DMijatovic

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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