Effect of Specific ACL Injury Prevention Training in Female Handball Players

Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: ACL Injury Prevention

Treatments: Other: Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training; Other: ACL Injury Prevention Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05955599

H-21030337

Details and patient eligibility

About

The anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries rates in female handball are high, particularly among adolescents. Therefore, the primary purpose of this randomized control trial is to explore the effects of an 8-week ACL injury prevention program on muscle activation of the medial hamstring muscles during sidecutting in female handball players.

Secondary aims are to evaluate if training effects are age-related (pre-adolescent: 11-13 year old vs. adults: ≥18 years old). The age-related comparisons Include:

1. Medial hamstring muscles activation during sidecutting;
2. Well-known biomechanical ACL injury-risk factors during high risk movements, such as cutting and landing tasks;
3. Cortical and muscular activity and functional connectivity patterns during controlled knee movements;
4. Visuomotor skill learning during a simple task involving the hamstring muscles.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 11 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Female handball players playing in youth teams from the age group under 13 (11-13 years old) and adult (≥18 - 40 years old) females playing for elite u19 or senior teams in Denmark
• Have minimum 1 year of experience from playing handball
• Mental and physical skills to complete the electrophysiological and biomechanical tests

Exclusion criteria

• Girls/women outside the age groups listed above
• Prior surgeries to the lower limbs (e.g. ACL-reconstructions, meniscus lesions)
• Current intake of medications that include antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antiparkinson, hypnotics, stimulants, and/or antihistamines
• Neurological and/or psychiatric diagnoses
• Pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 4 patient groups

Pre-adolescent Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

11-13 year old female handball players complete a supervised ACL injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The ACL injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) hamstring and hip external rotation strength; 2) medial hamstring activation; 3) single leg landing technique training with a special focus on knee control. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Treatment:

Other: ACL Injury Prevention Training

Pre-adolescent Control

Other group

Description:

11-13 year old female handball players complete a supervised shoulder injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The shoulder injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) external rotator cuff strength; 2) scapula stability; 3) core strength and trunk rotation. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Treatment:

Other: Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training

Adult Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Adult (≥18 year old) female handball players complete a supervised ACL injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The ACL injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) hamstring and hip external rotation strength; 2) medial hamstring activation; 3) single leg landing technique training with a special focus on knee control. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Treatment:

Other: ACL Injury Prevention Training

Adult Control

Other group

Description:

Adult (≥18 year old) female handball players completed a supervised shoulder injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The shoulder injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) external rotator cuff strength; 2) scapula stability; 3) core strength and trunk rotation. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Treatment:

Other: Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training