Preventive Training Program Feedback Complexity, Movement Control, and Performance in Youth Athletes

Context: Preventive training programs (PTPs) reduce injury risk by improving movement control. Corrective feedback is important; however, many cues at once may be too complicated for athletes. Objective: To compare movement control and long-jump (LJ) changes in youth athletes participating in a season-long PTP, with simplified feedback, traditional feedback, or a warmup of the coaches\u27 choosing. Design: Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Setting: Soccer fields. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 420 athletes (simplified feedback = 173, traditional feedback = 118, and control = 129; age = 11 ± 3 years). Intervention(s): Teams were randomized into the simplified PTP, traditional PTP, or control group. Simplified and traditional PTPs lasted 10 to 12 minutes and used the same exercises. The simplified PTP provided only sagittal-plane feedback (eg, “get low”), and the traditional PTP provided feedback targeting all motion planes (eg, “don\u27t let your knees cave inward”). Research assistants administered the PTP warmups 2 to 3 times/week for the season. Control team coaches chose and ran their own warmup strategies. Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants completed 4 sessions (preseason [PRE], postseason [POST] at approximately 8 weeks after PRE, retention 1 [R1] at 6 weeks postseason, and retention 2 [R2] at 12 weeks postseason). They performed 3 trials of a jump-landing task, which was evaluated using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and 2 recorded standing LJ trials at each test session. A time series panel was used to evaluate group differences across time points for the LESS and LJ. Results: Change score analyses revealed improvements in the LESS score from PRE to POST for all groups. Improvements from PRE were retained at R1 and R2 for the intervention groups (simplified and traditional). The traditional group demonstrated better LJ performance at POST (P \u3c .001) and R1 (P = .049) than the simplified or control group. Conclusions; Simplified cues were as effective as traditional cues in improving LESS scores from PRE to POST season. Participating in PTPs, regardless of their complexity, likely provides movement benefits

Modifiable Risk Factors Contributing to Neuromuscular Control in Adolescent Female Basketball Athletes

Female basketball athletes are at increased risk for lower extremity injury. Neuromuscular control is a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury and likely fluctuates. Previous studies investigating the relationship between neuromuscular control and injury have typically utilized a single baseline neuromuscular control assessment with prospective injury monitoring, which does not capture potential variability in neuromuscular control that may influence injury risk. Preventive training programs (PTPs) are designed to improve neuromuscular control and can reduce lower extremity injury rates. Training load, or the volume and intensity of activity, may also modulate neuromuscular control. High training load can lead to fatigue, which has been shown to impair neuromuscular control. The relationship between neuromuscular control and training load has not been established. Purposes:1) Evaluate variability in neuromuscular control in adolescent female basketball athletes; 2) Evaluate the effect of PTPs on variability in neuromuscular control measures; 3) Examine the association of neuromuscular control and training load in adolescent female basketball athletes. Study Design: Cohort, observational (Purposes 1 and 3) and interventional (Purpose 2). Methods:Adolescent female basketball athletes (n=67) completed serial neuromuscular control and power assessments during the competitive basketball season. Participantsfrom one organization (n=47) were exposed to PTPs. An additional sample of adolescent female basketball athletes (n=15) completed neuromuscular control assessments before and after daily participation in multi-day basketball tournament. Training load was recorded for Purposes 1 and 3. Statistical Analyses:Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed neuromuscular control variables over time. Bivariate correlations were used to explore the relationship between neuromuscular control and training load. Results: Neuromuscular control varied over an athletic season and during a multi-day tournament. The role of PTPs in neuromuscular control variability is unclear. Findings regarding the relationship between neuromuscular control and training load during an athletic season were inconsistent. There was no association between training load and neuromuscular control during tournament play. Conclusion:Neuromuscular control is dynamic. Single-point neuromuscular control screenings should not be viewed as an absolute determinant of injury risk. Measures of neuromuscular control should be interpreted within the context of the individual and other injury risk factors