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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Volleyball players have a high risk of injury in the lower limbs as a consequence of the specific characteristics of the sport, such as repetitive jumps and falls. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary injury prevention program on lower limb stability in young volleyball players.
METHODS: The experimental design was a non-randomized controlled trial. All the measurements were performed in a standardized room in a sports center. Twenty-six young male volleyball players (mean age: 15.39±1.16 years-old), divided into experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=11) participated in this study. The experimental group performed an 8-week prevention program including lower limb strength and plyometric training, and joint and core stability. The Y-Balance and force platform landing tests were carried out as the pre- and post-tests.
RESULTS: The main outcome measures were the injuries history, distance and difference reached in anterior, post-lateral and post-medial axis of the Y-Balance test, and the force produced in Z, X and Y axis after landing. Differences were found between groups and measurements in all the variables of the Y-Balance test, except in the frontal axis for the dominant leg and for the differences between legs (p=0.039-0.001); and in the ground reaction forces (Z axis) (p=0.040), the X axis (p=0.014) and the dynamic postural stability index (p=0.025) of the lateral jump with the non-dominant leg.
CONCLUSIONS: An 8-week prevention program seems to improve the lower limb stability in young volleyball players.
Language: en |