@article{ref1,
title="Relationship between vertical stiffness and soft-tissue injuries in professional Australian football",
journal="Journal of sports sciences",
year="2019",
author="Sporri, Daniel and Pine, Matthew J. and Cameron, Matthew L. and Spurrs, Robert W. and Sheehan, William B. and Bower, Robert G. and Watsford, Mark L.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="1-8",
abstract="Soft-tissue injuries are common in Australian football. Recently, literature has identified non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors, including vertical stiffness (K<sub>vert</sub>). However, limitations regarding measurement frequency and duration exist; thus, further information is required about the role of K<sub>vert</sub> as a modifiable risk factor for injury. This study examined the seasonal variation in K<sub>vert</sub> and its relationship to soft-tissue injuries in professional Australian football. The mean K<sub>vert</sub> and bilateral asymmetry were assessed and compared between injured and non-injured players. For the seasonal analysis, 56 players were tested across two seasons with no variation in bilateral asymmetry evident (<i>p</i>= 0.33). While there were generally no changes in K<sub>vert</sub>, the value from the end of the second pre-season revealed 5% lower values than the mean of two seasons (<i>p</i>= 0.02). Considering the injury analysis, 21 lower-body soft-tissue injuries were recorded from 18 participants. No differences were recorded for mean K<sub>vert</sub> between the injured and non-injured groups (<i>p</i>= 0.16-0.76). When assessing K<sub>vert</sub> asymmetry, the injured group displayed a 4.5% higher value than the non-injured group at the end of the pre-season test (<i>p</i>= 0.03) but not at other time-points (<i>p</i>= 0.16-0.99). Higher K<sub>vert</sub> bilateral asymmetry measures after the pre-season appear to be related to lower-body soft-tissue injury in professional Australian footballers. Medical and conditioning staff should consider this measure when trying to mitigate the onset of injury or identify at-risk players.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0264-0414",
doi="10.1080/02640414.2019.1640550",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1640550"
}