Citation

Scase E, Cook J, Makdissi M, Gabbe B, Shuck L. Br. J. Sports Med. 2006; 40(10): 834-838.

Affiliation

La Trobe University, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bjsm.2006.025692

PMID

16920776

PMCID

PMC2465083

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a preseason physical training program that taught landing and falling skills in improving landing skills technique and preventing injury in junior elite Australian football players. METHODS: Seven hundred and twenty three male players who participated in an under 18 elite competition were studied prospectively in a non-randomised controlled trial over two consecutive football seasons. There were 114 players in the intervention group and 609 control players. The eight session intervention program taught players six landing, falling and recovery skills, which were considered fundamental for safe landing in Australian football. Landing skills taught in these sessions were rated for competence by independent and blinded assessors at baseline and mid-season. RESULTS: Evaluation of landing skills found no significant differences between the groups at baseline. Post-intervention evaluation revealed overall improvement in landing skills, but significantly greater improvement in the intervention group (z=-7.92, p=.001,). Players in the intervention group were significantly less likely (RR 0.72, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.98) to sustain an injury during the season compared to the control group. In particular, the time to sustaining a landing injury was significantly less for the intervention group (RR 0.40, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.92) compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that landing and falling ability can be trained in junior elite Australian football players and that intervention players were protected against injury, particularly injuries related to landing and falls.

Language: en