The Effect of Movement Education on Jumping/Landing Quality in High School Athletes

While much evidence exists to support the association between physical training and improved motor skill performance, there is little evidence that supports the association between movement education and improved motor skill performance. In short, the investigators would like to study the effect of movement education (as provided by the Sports Safety athlete education program) on immediate and sustained changes in motor skill performance (jumping and landing technique) using the Dynamic Athletic Research Institute (DARI) motion capture system.

This study will evaluate the change in motor performance for high school athletes who did and did not attend the Sport Safety athlete Education Program.

Successful models of injury prevention in occupational health settings focus largely on motor skill education for employees. Sports-related injury prevention programs lack this critical component. This research question is being asked to help inform the development of a comprehensive implementation strategy for a high school sports injury prevention program.

The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Sports Safety ACL Program is a unique, public health approach to ACL injury risk management. The program offers pioneering education to those directly responsible for the safety of young athletes. The program offers diverse educational opportunities and innovative risk management resources directly to coaches, parents, administrators, and young athletes. The program has already held over 200 live workshops, teaching coaches, parents and young athletes how to identify injury risk factors and how the relationship between movement quality and sports performance impacts injury rates. Though several research studies have been conducted with the HSS Sport Safety Program, this study is the first to evaluate the association between athlete motor learning and movement quality.

Currently anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programs focus on clinicians and coaches leading a series of neuromuscular training exercises repeatedly throughout a sports season to improve athlete strength, balance, flexibility, and agility. While this has shown been shown to be effective in controlled research settings, there have been many problems with implementation, including low compliance. Hartigan et al recently conducted a study showing that athletes had improved jumping and landing technique after viewing video feedback. This is evidence that movement education/feedback has the ability to affect motor skills. Demonstrating an association between motor skill education and improved movement quality would allow the responsibility of ACL injury prevention to be more readily shared by both sports medicine clinicians and athletes.

This evidence would provide support for the public health approach to ACL injury risk management on which the HSS Sport Safety Program was based. In addition, providing solid evidence of the program's success will make the program more marketable to schools, clubs, and other sports groups nationally and internationally.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 14-18
* Participates in a high-risk sport for ACL injury (e.g. basketball, soccer, lacrosse)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current injuries that would interfere with ability to perform vertical, box, broad jumps
* History of knee injuries or surgeries