Landing Technique and Performance in Youth Athletes After a Single Injury-Prevention Program Session

Abstract

Context: Injury-prevention programs (IPPs) performed as season-long warm-ups improve injury rates, performance outcomes, and jump-landing technique. However, concerns regarding program adoption exist. Identifying the acute benefits of using an IPP compared with other warm-ups may encourage IPP adoption.Objective Intervention(s): Participants were stratified by age, sex, and sport and then were randomized into 1 protocol: IPP, SWU, or DWU. The IPP consisted of dynamic flexibility, strengthening, plyometric, and balance exercises and emphasized proper technique. The SWU consisted of jogging and lower extremity static stretching. The DWU consisted of dynamic lower extremity flexibility exercises. Participants were assessed for landing technique and performance measures immediately before (PRE) and after (POST) completing their warm-ups.Main Outcome Measure(s): One rater graded each jumplanding trial using the Landing Error Scoring System. Participants performed a vertical jump, long jump, shuttle run, and jump-landing task in randomized order. The averages of all jump-landing trials and performance variables were used to calculate 1 composite score for each variable at PRE and POST. Change scores were calculated (POST À PRE) for all measures. Separate 1-way (group) analyses of variance were conducted for each dependent variable (a , .05).Results: No differences were observed among groups for any performance measures (P . .05). The Landing Error Scoring System scores improved after the IPP (change ¼À0.40 6 1.24 errors) compared with the DWU (0.27 6 1.09 errors) and SWU (0.43 6 1.35 errors; P ¼ .04).Conclusions: An IPP did not impair sport performance and may have reduced injury risk, which supports the use of these programs before sport activity.Key Words: injury risk, knee, anterior cruciate ligament Key PointsThe injury-prevention program (IPP) demonstrated acute improvements in jump-landing technique. The IPP did not negatively affect performance variables, indicating that IPPs are as effective as a dynamic warm-up for preparing athletes for competition. The youth athletes could take generalized cues and immediately translate them into a sport-specific movement task, theoretically reducing the risk of lower extremity injury.

The Ability of the Landing Error Scoring System to Detect Changes in Landing Mechanics: A Critically Appraised Topic

“…One study 15 demonstrated changes in LESS scores for both groups, while three studies 14,16,17 demonstrated changes for the IPP groups only.…”

“…• Root et al 16 identified significant changes in LESS scores immediately following one IPP session. The authors also examined changes in other outcome measures such as the vertical jump, long jump, or shuttle run.…”

“…• All four included studies [14][15][16][17] demonstrated improvement in LESS scores from preintervention testing to postintervention testing. One study 15 demonstrated changes in LESS scores for both groups, while three studies 14,16,17 demonstrated changes for the IPP groups only.…”

“…Two studies 14,16 scored a 9/10, one 15 received a 7/10, and one 17 received a 6/10. Two studies 14,16 did not directly address concealed allocation of randomized groups.…”

“…Two studies 14,16 scored a 9/10, one 15 received a 7/10, and one 17 received a 6/10. Two studies 14,16 did not directly address concealed allocation of randomized groups. In addition, two studies 15,17 failed to report proper blinding of either the subjects or the clinicians administering the intervention and groups were not similar at baseline.…”