ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2019 March;178(3):137-44

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.18.03731-2

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effects of a neuromuscular training program on anterior cruciate ligament injury risk factors in youth female basketball players: a pilot study

Cynthia CARRASCO-HUENULEF ¹, María POBLETE-GARRIDO ¹, Manuel MONRROY-UARAC ¹, Rodrigo RAMIREZ-CAMPILLO ², Jason MORAN ³, Rubén GAJARDO-BURGOS ¹ ✉

¹ School of Kinesiology, Locomotor System and Rehabilitation Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia, Chile; ² Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Research Nucleus in Health, Physical Activity and Sport, Quality of Life and Wellness Research Group, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile; ³ Hartpury College, University of the West of England, Gloucestershire, UK

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the effects of a neuromuscular training program to reduce injury risk factors (quadriceps dominance; ligament dominance; leg dominance; trunk dominance) linked to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in national-level female youth basketball athletes.
METHODS: Before and after training, thirteen participants (age, 16.9±1.5 years) underwent anthropometry measurements, a drop jump screening test to assess knee flexion (quadriceps dominance) and knee valgus (ligament dominance) angle during landing, a single-leg horizontal hop test to assess differences between lower limbs (i.e., leg dominance), and a tuck jump test to assess trunk dominance. Athletes trained for six weeks, on three occasions per week (20-25 minutes per session), performing plyometric, balance, and core-stability drills with a therapist to trainee ratio of 1:1. Magnitude-based inferences were used to quantify the effects of the intervention.
RESULTS: Anthropometry-related variables were not modified after the intervention. Knee flexion and knee valgus in the drop jump test achieved large and likely beneficial increases (ES=1.28) and reductions (ES=1.36), respectively. Leg dominance achieved a large and likely beneficial reduction (ES=1.23). Athletes exhibiting trunk dominance were reduced from nine individuals to five. Of note, all athletes improved knee flexion (increased) and valgus (reduced) angle during jump landing, and leg dominance (reduced).
CONCLUSIONS: All athletes reduced injury risk factors linked to ACL injury after a novel short-term, short-duration and highly supervised neuromuscular training program, which was applied as a replacement to regular low-intensity and warm-up activities.

KEY WORDS: Plyometric exercise - Postural balance - Women