Modification of Risk Factors Associated With Knee Injury in Netball

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Noncontact knee injuries are a concern in netball. As such, it is important to devise appropriate injury prevention programs that players will complete to reduce the risk of injury. Previous research suggests that the most common situation of noncontact knee injury in netball involves a stiff landing or apparent knee valgus collapse, trunk rotation, and lateral flexion. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a neuromuscular training program on biomechanical risk factors during a netball-specific landing.

Official Title
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Modification of Characteristics Associated With the Noncontact Knee Injury Mechanism in Adult Recreational Netball Players

Conditions
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Knee Injuries

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: 6-week neuromuscular training program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Female 18-45 years No history of lower limb injury in the last 6 months No history of concussion in the last 6 months No history of any knee surgery Currently playing recreational netball at least once per week Exclusion Criteria: Male Under 18 years or over 45 years of age Suffered from a lower limb injury in the last 6 months Suffered from concussion in the last 6 months Any history of knee surgery Not currently playing recreational netball at least once per week

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 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: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Training group<br>6-week neuromuscular training program | Other: 6-week neuromuscular training program<br>* Training program consisting of three neuromuscular training sessions per week<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peak knee flexion angle | Maximum angle of knee flexion on landing from a jump | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Peak vertical ground reaction force | Maximum vertical ground reaction force on landing from a jump | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Joint position sense | Ability to recreate knee angle in a seated position | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Peak hamstring torque | Maximum isometric hamstring torque | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Peak quadriceps torque | Maximum isometric quadriceps torque | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Peak hip abductor torque | Maximum isometric hip abductor torque | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Time to stabilization | Time to stabilization following landing from a jump | From baseline to end of six-week training program | 
| Peak horizontal jump distance | Maximum distance covered in a horizontal jump | From baseline to end of six-week training program |