TY - JOUR PY - 2012// TI - Retention of movement pattern changes after a lower extremity injury prevention program is affected by program duration JO - American journal of sports medicine A1 - Padua, Darin A. A1 - Distefano, Lindsay J. A1 - Marshall, Stephen W. A1 - Beutler, Anthony I. A1 - de la Motte, Sarah J. A1 - DiStefano, Michael J. SP - 300 EP - 306 VL - 40 IS - 2 N2 - BACKGROUND: Changes in movement patterns have been repeatedly observed immediately after completing a lower extremity injury prevention program. However, it is not known if movement pattern changes are maintained after discontinuing the training program. HYPOTHESIS: The ability to maintain movement pattern changes after training has ceased may be influenced by the program's duration. The authors hypothesized that among individuals who completed either a 3-month or 9-month training program and who demonstrated immediate movement pattern changes, only those who completed the 9-month training program would maintain movement pattern changes after a 3-month period of no longer performing the exercises. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

METHODS: A total of 140 youth soccer athletes from 15 separate teams volunteered to participate. Athletes' movement patterns were assessed using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) at pretest, posttest, and 3 months after ceasing the program (retention test). Eighty-four of the original 140 participants demonstrated improvements in their LESS scores between pretest and posttest (change in LESS score >0) and were included in the final analyses for this study (n = 84; 20 boys and 64 girls; mean age, 14 ± 2 years; age range, 11-17 years). Teams performed 3-month (short-duration group) and 9-month (extended-duration group) injury prevention programs. The exercises performed were identical for both groups. Teams performed the programs as part of their normal warm-up routine.

RESULTS: Although both groups improved their total LESS scores from pretest to posttest, only the extended-duration training group retained their improvements 3 months after ceasing the injury prevention program (F(2,137) = 3.38; P =.04).

CONCLUSION: Results suggest that training duration may be an important factor to consider when designing injury prevention programs that facilitate long-term changes in movement control.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0363-5465 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546511425474 ID - ref1 ER -