Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention Protocol in Female Football Players With Dynamic Knee Valgus

Amanda Coves García

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Treatments: Other: Application of an anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention protocol for female football players with dynamic knee valgus for 12 weeks.; Other: Placebo - Conventional fitness programme

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06083818

04122022

Details and patient eligibility

About

Introduction: Women's football has experienced exponential growth over the last ten years. Its popularity is associated with an increase in anterior cruciate ligament injuries (ACL). They constitute a major current problem as they account for 43% of the injury burden during the sport season. Despite existing training programmes, no uniform criteria have been established to design a precise intervention protocol, with specific tasks linked to women's football, nor has it been proposed to optimise current programmes.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive and specific training protocol focused on female football players with dynamic knee valgus (DKV) to prevent ACL injuries.

Methodology: Randomised, double-blind, single-centre clinical trial protocol scheduled for the 2023-2024 season of women's football. There will be 2 groups: a group that will follow a specific ACL injury prevention protocol and a control group. The intervention period will last 12 weeks. Measurements will be taken at 3 time points. The biomechanics of the lower extremities, the dynamics of jumping and landing, as well as the pre and post training satisfaction of the players will be evaluated. Image capture and processing systems will be used in addition to tests such as the drop vertical jump test (DVJ), the LESS scoring system, among others.

Future expectations: This protocol aims to be one of the first to implement an ACL injury prevention programme for women football players with DKV. Despite the scarcity of research in this area, studies support beneficial effects at a preventive level.

Enrollment: 48 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Female football players registered and federated in the corresponding team.
• With an age range between 18 and 35 years old.
• Minimum experience of one year playing football.
• With DKV presence.

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects with previous ACL or other ligamentous injury to the knee.
• Subjects with a history of lower extremity injury resulting in surgery during the six months prior to the study.
• Players with chronic illnesses that may affect test results.
• Subjects who played other sports at a professional level.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

48 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this group will undergo a conventional physical preparation programme.

Treatment:

Other: Placebo - Conventional fitness programme

ACL injury prevention protocol

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group will undergo a specific 12-week prevention protocol.

Treatment:

Other: Application of an anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention protocol for female football players with dynamic knee valgus for 12 weeks.