Preventing Knee Injuries in Adolescent Female Football Players

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Football-related knee injuries are common and especially the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury constitute a serious problem in football regardless of the playing level. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a training program designed to prevent acute knee injury in female adolescent football players. The investigators' hypotheses are: a preventive training program reduces the incidence of ACL injury, and a high match frequency and match play at senior level increase the risk of ACL injury.

Official Title
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Preventing Knee Injuries in Adolescent Female Football Players - Protocol of a Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Knee Injury

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Teams with female football players aged 13-17 years Exclusion Criteria: Teams that did not reply to the invitation or declined participation Teams having less than two scheduled training sessions per week Teams already using the preventive program

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 13 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention group<br>The clubs in the intervention group are instructed to perform a warm-up program at two training sessions per week throughout the entire 2009 competitive season. | Behavioral: Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005<br>* The preventive program (Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005) consists of six exercises focusing on knee control and core stability and is performed during the warm-up at two training sessions per week throughout the 2009 competitive season.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control group<br>The clubs in the control group are instructed to train and play as usual throughout the 2009 season | Behavioral: Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005<br>* The preventive program (Knäkontroll, SISU Idrottsböcker©, Sweden, 2005) consists of six exercises focusing on knee control and core stability and is performed during the warm-up at two training sessions per week throughout the 2009 competitive season.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The incidence of ACL injury |  | One competitive football season | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The incidence of any acute knee injury except contusion |  | One competitive football season | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Incidence of ACL injury, Risk factors for ACL injury, Prevention of ACL injury or any acute knee injury