Effect of Specific ACL Injury Prevention Training in Female Handball Players

NCT ID: NCT05955599

Last Updated: 2023-07-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-12-31

Brief Summary

The anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries rates in female handball are high, particularly among adolescents. Therefore, the primary purpose of this randomized control trial is to explore the effects of an 8-week ACL injury prevention program on muscle activation of the medial hamstring muscles during sidecutting in female handball players.

Secondary aims are to evaluate if training effects are age-related (pre-adolescent: 11-13 year old vs. adults: ≥18 years old). The age-related comparisons Include:

1. Medial hamstring muscles activation during sidecutting;

2. Well-known biomechanical ACL injury-risk factors during high risk movements, such as cutting and landing tasks;

3. Cortical and muscular activity and functional connectivity patterns during controlled knee movements;

4. Visuomotor skill learning during a simple task involving the hamstring muscles.

Conditions

ACL Injury Prevention

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Pre-adolescent Intervention

11-13 year old female handball players complete a supervised ACL injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The ACL injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) hamstring and hip external rotation strength; 2) medial hamstring activation; 3) single leg landing technique training with a special focus on knee control. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

ACL Injury Prevention Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Supervised ACL injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Pre-adolescent Control

11-13 year old female handball players complete a supervised shoulder injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The shoulder injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) external rotator cuff strength; 2) scapula stability; 3) core strength and trunk rotation. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Group Type: OTHER

Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Supervised shoulder injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Adult Intervention

Adult (≥18 year old) female handball players complete a supervised ACL injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The ACL injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) hamstring and hip external rotation strength; 2) medial hamstring activation; 3) single leg landing technique training with a special focus on knee control. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

ACL Injury Prevention Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Supervised ACL injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Adult Control

Adult (≥18 year old) female handball players completed a supervised shoulder injury prevention program twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) for a duration of 8 weeks. The shoulder injury prevention training consists of three tracks focusing on 1) external rotator cuff strength; 2) scapula stability; 3) core strength and trunk rotation. The training is integrated in the players/team's normal handball practice.

Group Type: OTHER

Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Supervised shoulder injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Interventions

ACL Injury Prevention Training

Supervised ACL injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Control - Shoulder Injury Prevention Training

Supervised shoulder injury prevention training twice a week (2 x 15 minutes) over an 8-week period.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Female handball players playing in youth teams from the age group under 13 (11-13 years old) and adult (≥18 - 40 years old) females playing for elite u19 or senior teams in Denmark
• Have minimum 1 year of experience from playing handball
• Mental and physical skills to complete the electrophysiological and biomechanical tests

Exclusion Criteria

• Girls/women outside the age groups listed above
• Prior surgeries to the lower limbs (e.g. ACL-reconstructions, meniscus lesions)
• Current intake of medications that include antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antiparkinson, hypnotics, stimulants, and/or antihistamines
• Neurological and/or psychiatric diagnoses
• Pregnant

• Minimum Eligible Age: 11 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University College Copenhagen

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Copenhagen

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Team Denmark

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Niels Jensby Nedergaard

Sub-Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Department of Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychomotor Therapy, Faculty of Health, University College Copenhagen

Copenhagen, , Denmark

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, , Denmark

Human Movement Analysis Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital

Hvidovre, , Denmark

Countries

Denmark

Other Identifiers

H-21030337

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id