Serial Movement Assessment in Athletes Who Perform Injury Prevention Training
Phase: NA
Conditions: Injury Leg, Injury, Knee, Injury;Sports, Injury, Ankle
Sponsor: Northern Vermont University

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Serial Movement in Collegiate Athletes who perform Injury Prevention Training 
 
NCT04748718 
 
03/28/2024 
 
 

 
Study Protocol 
 
Objective 
The overall objective of the study was to longitudinally evaluate multiple aspects of 
neuromuscular control (i.e., movement quality, balance) across several time points 
during a single athletic season in collegiate athletes who perform neuromuscular 
training. 
 
Design 
We used a prospective, experimental case series study design to evaluate 
neuromuscular control over an athletic season in collegiate athletes performing PTPs. 
We collected neuromuscular control data at three time points (PRE, MID, POST) during 
each athletic season. PRE occurred during the first two weeks of the athletic season, 
MID occurred during the middle of the athletic season, and POST occurred during the 
last two weeks of the athletic season. 
 
Methods 
Athletes age 18+ on the men’s and women’s volleyball, soccer, and basketball teams at 
one NCAA Division III University were recruited to volunteer for this study. All 
participants completed informed consent forms, which were approved by the 
University’s Institutional Review Board. 
 
LESS score was attained using a valid and reliable 2-dimensional motion capture 
system (Physimax Technologies, Tel Avivi, Israel) that utilizes an Xbox Kinect camera 
(Microsoft, Redmond, WA) and Dell (Round Rock, TX) laptop computer to automate 
LESS score. BESS score was attained using a pressure mat and associated software 
that automatically scores all 6 BESS stances (TekScan, Boston, MA), a system which 
has been shown to be a reliable method to assess the BESS. Participant height was 
measured using a standard stadiometer. Participant mass was measured using a digital 
scale. Participant age, race, and ethnicity were captured using a pen-and-paper 
questionnaire. Gender was determined by team participation. 
 
Participants completed three test sessions, all of which included a jump-landing task, 
scored by the LESS, to assess movement control and the BESS to assess balance. At 
the first test session, participants’ height and mass was also measured. All tasks (LESS, 
BESS, height, mass) were completed in a random order. All test session occurred prior 
to team practices. 
 
For the LESS, participants were instructed to jump forward off a 30-cm-high box to a 
distance of approximately half their height, indicated by a line on the floor, and then 
jump up for maximal vertical height immediately upon landing. Participants jumped as 
many times as needed to record three good trials, up to five total jumps. Errors were 
automatically scored using a 2-dimensional motion capture system described in 
materials. For the BESS, participants completed six total conditions, consisting of 3 
stances (double-limb stance, single-limb stance, tandem stance) on 2 surfaces (firm, 

foam). For each condition, participants are instructed to maintain the appropriate stance 
on the appropriate surface for 20 seconds. Errors were automatically scored using the 
pressure mat described in materials. 
 
Statistical Analysis Plan 
The mean LESS score for three trials was used for analyses. BESS score was 
calculated by summing scores from all six conditions. We used a 2X3 ANOVA to 
evaluate changes in LESS and BESS over time (PRE, MID, POST). As previous 
research has shown variability in neuromuscular control measures over time in athletes 
that do not perform PTPS, we used a multivariate correction for these analyses. Post 
hoc pairwise comparisons were evaluated for significant results using 95% confidence 
intervals.