Citation

Van Reijen M, Vriend I, Zuidema V, van Mechelen W, Verhagen EA. J. Sci. Med. Sport 2016; 20(6): 549-554.

Affiliation

Amsterdam Collaboration on Health and Safety in Sports, IOC Research Center, VUmc/AMC, The Netherlands; Department of Public & Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, The Netherlands; UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine (ESSM), Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention, Federation University Australia, Australia. Electronic address: e.verhagen@vumc.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Sports Medicine Australia, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsams.2016.12.001

PMID

27988093

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Recurrent ankle sprains can be reduced by a neuromuscular training program (NMT). The way NMT is delivered may influence the incidence of long term recurrent injuries, residual pain and disability.

DESIGN: This RCT with a follow-up of twelve months, evaluated whether the implementation method of a proven effective NMT program delivered by a mobile application or a written instruction booklet, resulted in differences in injury incidence rates, functional ankle disability/pain in the long term, assuming equal compliance - as is shown in previous research - with the 8-week intervention.

METHODS: 220 athletes with a history of ankle sprain were recruited for this RCT. 110 athletes were offered the freely available "Strengthen your ankle App" and the other 110 received a printed Booklet. Primary outcome measure was incidence density of ankle sprains. Secondary outcome measures were residual pain/disability and the individual cumulative number of ankle sprains during follow-up.

RESULTS: The incidence densities of self-reported ankle sprain recurrences were not significantly different between both groups (HR 1.06; 95% CI 0.76-1.49). Median FADI (Functional Ankle and Disability Index) scores increased equally over time in both groups, indicating a lower rate of limitation and pain in both groups at follow-up. Neither FADI scores nor cumulative recurrent injuries were significantly different between groups.

CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the implementation method of a NMT program by using an App or a Booklet did neither lead to different injury incidence rates in the long term nor did it influence residual functional disability/pain. Assuming equal compliance during the 8-week intervention, both methods show similar effectiveness in twelve-month follow-up.

Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Language: en