Joint Range of Motion is Associated With Injury Risk in Women\u27s Collegiate Soccer Players

Range of motion as a predictor for injury in athletic population is controversial. Despite this, it is common to see strategies to improve ROM included in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and on-field warm up protocols. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to assess relationships, which may exist between joint-specific ROM and injury rates, throughout a women’s NCAA Division II collegiate soccer season. METHODS: Twenty-eight women (age 19.7 + 1.6 years, height 1.6 + .5 m, mass 63.4 + 7.9 kg) were assessed using a battery of ROM tests prior to a competitive season. Injury rates, types, and time lost from participation were tracked throughout the season. Injury information was coded and categorized each week in the following: acute vs. chronic, soft tissue vs. hard tissue; upper vs. lower body; specific anatomical location; contact vs. non-contact; week of injury occurrence; practice days missed from injury; and games missed from injury. Association was measured via a Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and a stepwise linear regression was performed for any variables which showed significant correlation to determine predictive relationship, which may exist. ROM was evaluated independently by multiple rater and inter-rater reliability was high (ICC = 0.995, 95% CI upper and lower = 0.996-0.995, p=0.000). Statistical significance was set a priori at p \u3c 0.05. RESULTS: Tests of hip extension and external rotation (ER); knee flexion and extension; and ankle plantarflexion (PF), dorsiflexion (DF), and inversion showed moderate to strong correlation with injury (range r = 0.48-0.72). Prediction equations were developed for ankle dorsiflexion (Y=2.6-0.45(X), p=0.002); left thoracolumbar rotation (Y=2.45-0.2(X), p=0.002); left hip ER (Y=0.86-0.75(X), p=0.02); and left ankle PF (Y=1.89-0.03(X), p=0.02) CONCLUSION: The main finding of this investigation is that multiple assessments of ROM showed association with subsequent injury in women’s collegiate soccer players. While previous research on this has been less supportive, it is possible that there is a range which is appropriate for this population below which rate of injury may increase. Future investigations may wish to explore this relationship, to include potential mechanisms which may be influential in addition, while relationships between ROM and injury were not joint specific, it is possible that there are relationships of regional interdependence that may exist

Joint Laxity is Predictive of Injury in Women’s Collegiate Soccer Players

Joint laxity assessment has been purported to be a valid and reliable screening tool for injury prediction in multiple populations. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to assess relationships which may exist between joint laxity and injury rates throughout a women’s NCAA Division II Collegiate Soccer season. METHODS: Twenty-eight women (age 19.7±1.6 yrs, height 1.6±0.5 m, mass 63.4±7.9 kg) were assessed using the Lachman, anterior drawer of the ankle, medial and lateral talar tilt, and Thessaly’s tests prior to a competitive season. Injury rates, types, and time lost from participation were tracked throughout the season. Injury information was coded and categorized each week in the following: acute vs. chronic; soft vs. hard tissue; upper vs. lower body; specific anatomical location; contact vs. non-contact; week of injury occurrence; practice days missed from injury; and games missed from injury. Association was measured via a Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficient and a stepwise linear regression was performed for any variables which showed significant correlation to determine predictive relationships which may exist. Joint laxity tests were evaluated independently by multiple raters and inter-rater reliability was high (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.901-1.0, p=0.001). Statistical significance was set a priori at p≤0.05. RESULTS: Significant correlation and prediction were observed between joint laxity as assessed via the anterior drawer of the ankle test and injury (r=0.57, p≤0.05; Y=2.6-0.80(X), p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The main finding of this investigation is that joint laxity as assessed via the anterior drawer of the ankle test was associated with joint and ligament injuries in women’s collegiate soccer athletes through the course of a competitive season. Additional investigations should explore mechanisms behind this relationship. In addition, sports medicine professionals and coaches may wish to consider the use of this test as a potential screening tool for injury risk as well as interventions to enhance joint stability for athletes who are suspected of being positive on this test

Change of Direction is Associated with Non-Contact Injuries in Women\u27s Collegiate Soccer Players

Injury rates have been reported between men and women soccer athletes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigations was to assess relationships which may exist between performance in a change of direction (COD) test and injury rates throughout a women’s NCAA Division II Collegiate Soccer season. METHODS: Twenty-eight women (age 19.9±1.6 yrs, height 1.6±0.5 m, mass 63.4±7.9 kg) were assessed using the Soccer Specific Agility test prior to a competitive season. Injury rates, types, and time lost from participation were tracked throughout the season. Injury information was coded and categorized each week in the following: acute vs. chronic; soft vs. hard tissue; upper vs. lower body; specific anatomical location; contact vs. non-contact; week of injury occurrence; practice days missed from injury; and games missed from injury. Association was measured via a Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficient and a stepwise linear regression was performed for any variables which showed significant correlation to determine predictive relationships which may exist. Statistical significance was set a priori at p≤0.05. RESULTS: Soccer Specific Agility times were 7.04±0.36 sec. A moderate correlation was seen between agility performance and non-contact injuries (r=0.47, p≤0.05). DISCUSSION: The main finding of this investigation is that performance on the soccer specific agility test showed association with non-contact injury rates throughout a women’s collegiate soccer season, with lower time being associated with smaller injury rates. Future investigations should attempt to explore whether improvements in COD, which may be assessed using the SSA, can lead to meaningful reductions in injury rates. Sports medicine professionals and coaches may wish to adopt strategies to improve COD in an effort to reduce rates of non-contact injuries in their athletes

The Relationship Between Landing Mechanics and Injury Risk in Women\u27s Collegiate Soccer Players

Mechanical performance in landing related tasks has been suggested to be related to injury in athletic. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigations was to assess relationships which may exist between performance in landing mechanics and injury rates throughout a women’s NCAA Division II Collegiate Soccer season. METHODS: Twenty-eight women (age 19.7±1.6 yrs, height 1.6±0.5 m, mass 63.4±7.9 kg) were assessed using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) test prior to a competitive season. Injury rates, types, and time lost from participation were tracked throughout the season. Injury information was coded and categorized each week in the following: acute vs. chronic; soft vs. hard tissue; upper vs. lower body; specific anatomical location; contact vs. non-contact; week of injury occurrence; practice days missed from injury; and games missed from injury. Association was measured via a Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficient and a stepwise linear regression was performed for any variables which showed significant correlation to determine predictive relationships which may exist. The LESS test was evaluated independently by multiple raters and inter-rater reliability was high (ICC=0.824, 95% CI upper and lower = 0.917-0.657, p=0.001). Statistical significance was set a priori at p≤0.05. RESULTS: No significant correlations were determined between LESS test performance and injury and the LESS score did not add strength of association to any predictive variables. DISCUSSION: The main finding of this investigation is that performance on the LESS test did not show significant association with injury rates in women’s collegiate soccer players. LESS test performance has previously been suggested to be a valid and reliable clinical assessment tool, and claims have been made regarding its utility as a screening tool for identification of persons who may be at risk for subsequent injury. Landing mechanics may still be a valid predictor of injury risk. However, the results of our investigation do not support the use of the LESS test as a screening tool for injury risk in women’s collegiate soccer athletes