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320 Low preseason balance ability is a risk factor for ankle ligament injuries for elite Australian Rules footballers
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Low preseason balance ability is a risk factor for ankle ligament injuries for elite Australian Rules footballers
C. Hrysomallis*, P. McLaughlin &C. Goodman Victoria University
The identification of injury risk factors that can be modified is paramount to injury prevention. This project aimed to measure preseason balance ability and to evaluate whether it was related to ankle and knee ligament injuries during the competitive season. Areliable balance test was developed that involved the participants stepping onto a foam balance mat on top of a force platform and maintaining single limb balance for 20 seconds. The sway of the centre of pressure was measured and used as the balance score. Throughout the playing season, injuries were monitored. Two hundred and sixteen Australian Football League players from 6 teams participated in this project. During the playing season, 10% (21 out of 216) sustained an ankle ligament injury and 80/0 (17 out of 216) sustained a knee ligament injury. Logistic regression analysis revealed that preseason balance ability was significantly related to ankle ligament injury. Players with low balance ability were at least twice as likely to injure ankle ligaments than those with average or good balance ability. Balance ability was not related to the incidence of knee ligament injuries. The height of the players was related t9 knee ligament injuries. The taller players sustained more knee ligament injuries. No other statistically significant risk factors were detected. It would appear that low preseason balance ability increases the risk of an ankle ligament injury. A modifiable injury risk factor has been identified. Football clubs should give further consideration to testing and training balance ability.
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Predictors of return to play following hamstring strain in elite Australian football players.
P. Warren1*, K. Bennell1, B. Gabbe2 1Centre For Health, Exercise And Sports Medicine 2Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Objective and Methods. Aprospective observational study design was used to investigate predictors of time to return to play and recurrence following hamstring strains in 59 elite Australian Footballers. A clinical assessment and therapist-assisted questionnaire was completed within 3 days of injury. Results. Four variables demonstrated a univariate association (p<0.2) with a player returning to play greater than 3 weeks from the time of injury. These were a past history of hamstring strain on the same leg in the preceding season, a lateral hamstring strain and being unable to walk, or ascend stairs, at normal pace pain free within twenty four hours of injury. Past history (p=0.050) and time to walk pain free (p=0.018) were independent predictors. All medial hamstring strains (n=17) returned to play successfully and did not suffer a re-injury. Five variables demonstrated a univariate association (p<0.2) with an unsuccessful return to play, these were: past history of hamstring strain, an active knee extension deficit compared to the unaffected leg of greater than 10°, taking anti-inflammatory medication at time of assessment, being unable to walk at normal pace pain free within twenty four hours of injury and being older than 23 years of age. Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate that the results of several clinically obtainable parameters in the post-acute setting can contribute to the prediction of the expected return to play timescale and whether a player might be at risk of suffering a recurrence.
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Low preseason balance ability is a risk factor for ankle ligament injuries for elite Australian Rules footballers
C. Hrysomallis*, P. McLaughlin &C. Goodman Victoria University
The identification of injury risk factors that can be modified is paramount to injury prevention. This project aimed to measure preseason balance ability and to evaluate whether it was related to ankle and knee ligament injuries during the competitive season. Areliable balance test was developed that involved the participants stepping onto a foam balance mat on top of a force platform and maintaining single limb balance for 20 seconds. The sway of the centre of pressure was measured and used as the balance score. Throughout the playing season, injuries were monitored. Two hundred and sixteen Australian Football League players from 6 teams participated in this project. During the playing season, 10% (21 out of 216) sustained an ankle ligament injury and 80/0 (17 out of 216) sustained a knee ligament injury. Logistic regression analysis revealed that preseason balance ability was significantly related to ankle ligament injury. Players with low balance ability were at least twice as likely to injure ankle ligaments than those with average or good balance ability. Balance ability was not related to the incidence of knee ligament injuries. The height of the players was related t9 knee ligament injuries. The taller players sustained more knee ligament injuries. No other statistically significant risk factors were detected. It would appear that low preseason balance ability increases the risk of an ankle ligament injury. A modifiable injury risk factor has been identified. Football clubs should give further consideration to testing and training balance ability.
III
Predictors of return to play following hamstring strain in elite Australian football players.
P. Warren1*, K. Bennell1, B. Gabbe2 1Centre For Health, Exercise And Sports Medicine 2Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Objective and Methods. Aprospective observational study design was used to investigate predictors of time to return to play and recurrence following hamstring strains in 59 elite Australian Footballers. A clinical assessment and therapist-assisted questionnaire was completed within 3 days of injury. Results. Four variables demonstrated a univariate association (p<0.2) with a player returning to play greater than 3 weeks from the time of injury. These were a past history of hamstring strain on the same leg in the preceding season, a lateral hamstring strain and being unable to walk, or ascend stairs, at normal pace pain free within twenty four hours of injury. Past history (p=0.050) and time to walk pain free (p=0.018) were independent predictors. All medial hamstring strains (n=17) returned to play successfully and did not suffer a re-injury. Five variables demonstrated a univariate association (p<0.2) with an unsuccessful return to play, these were: past history of hamstring strain, an active knee extension deficit compared to the unaffected leg of greater than 10°, taking anti-inflammatory medication at time of assessment, being unable to walk at normal pace pain free within twenty four hours of injury and being older than 23 years of age. Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate that the results of several clinically obtainable parameters in the post-acute setting can contribute to the prediction of the expected return to play timescale and whether a player might be at risk of suffering a recurrence.
186