Citation

Schwartzkopf-Phifer K, English RA, Mattacola CG, Dressler EV, Kiesel KB. Int. J. Sports Phys. Ther. 2019; 14(3): 384-402.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Therapy, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Sports Physical Therapy Section, American Physical Therapy Association)

DOI

10.26603/ijspt20190384

PMID

31681498

PMCID

PMC6816296

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity injuries in soccer players are extremely common. Implementation of group injury prevention programs has gained popularity due to time and cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, players with greater number of risk factors are most likely to sustain an injury, yet less likely to benefit from a group injury prevention program. The purpose of this study was to determine if targeting these high risk players with one-on-one treatment would result in a reduction in the number of risk factors they possess. The authors hypothesized that fifty percent or more of subjects receiving one-on-one intervention would have a reduction of ≥1 risk factor(s). STUDY DESIGN: Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design.

METHODS: Division I men's and women's soccer players were screened for modifiable risk factors using a battery of tests which assessed mobility, fundamental movement pattern performance, motor control, and pain. Players with ≥ 3 risk factors ("high risk") received one-on-one treatment from a physical therapist via an algorithm twice per week for four weeks. Players with < 3 risk factors ("low risk") did not receive one-on-one intervention.

RESULTS: The proportion of treatment successes in the intervention group was 0.923 (95% CI 0.640-0.998). A significant proportion of high risk subjects (0.846) became low risk at posttest (p = 0.003). A significant between group difference was noted in risk factor change from pretest to posttest (p = 0.002), with the median risk factor change in the intervention group being -3.

CONCLUSION: Utilizing one-on-one interventions designed to target evidence-based risk factors is an effective strategy to eliminate LE musculoskeletal injury risk factors in high risk individuals. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: 2b.

© 2019 by the Sports Physical Therapy Section.

Language: en

Keywords

injury prevention; injury risk; movement system; soccer