None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Non-contact knee injuries (especially those involving the ligaments of the knee) are prevalent in the female athlete population. The risk of knee injury has been largely correlated with several specific biomechanical patterns including knee valgus and lateral trunk flexion during dynamic tasks, as well as measures of postural control. The research team is interested in whether novel injury prevention strategies could help to reduce these risk factors during dynamic tasks (single leg squat and single leg landing). Specifically, we are interested to see if risk factors for knee injury can be reduced following one of the following three interventions. 1. contracting specific muscles of the trunk, known as trunk motor control retraining, for a few moments at a time over a 5 minute period prior to performing a single leg squat and single leg jump task that will be captured using a force plate and motion analysis software for examination of joint angles. 2. contracting specific muscles of the hip, known as hip motor control retraining, for a few moments at a time over a 5 minute period prior to performing a single leg squat and single leg jump task that will be captured using a force plate and motion analysis software for examination of joint angles. 3. application of a soft, flexible sports tape, called kinesio tape applied to joints of the lower limb prior to performing a single leg squat and single leg jump task that will be captured using a force plate and motion analysis software for examination of joint angles. The research team is also interested in relationships between participant height, body composition, leg dominance, and biomechanics, which will be measured using image capture technology and a force plate. The intervention groups will consist of females aged between 18-35 because this is the population most considered 'high risk' for serious knee injury. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of trunk motor control retraining, hip motor control retraining and application of kinesio tape on biomechanical risk factors for non-contact knee injury during a single leg squat and a single leg landing in female athletes. Participants will be asked to attend three data collection sessions, spread out over a minimum period of three weeks (in order to include for a washout period). The first session will include completion of a health and activity questionnaire and gathering of participant details, such as height and weight. In each of the three visits, participants will either undergo a control session OR trunk muscle retraining OR hip muscle retraining OR application of sports tape to the lower limb, with analysis of a single leg squat and a single leg landing via motion capture ( the sequence will be randomly allocated)
Interventions
There will be multiple interventions within this study, and it will be broken down into three separate three-way cross-over trials performed at the same site with different participants which will then be combined for data analysis. Note that for all trials, participants will be randomly allocated to one of 6 sequences (ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA) so that there are equal numbers in each sequence.
Sub Trial 1. Trunk Motor Retraining - Washout Period 1 Week
Control (C): No intervention performe
There will be multiple interventions within this study, and it will be broken down into three separate three-way cross-over trials performed at the same site with different participants which will then be combined for data analysis. Note that for all trials, participants will be randomly allocated to one of 6 sequences (ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA) so that there are equal numbers in each sequence. Sub Trial 1. Trunk Motor Retraining - Washout Period 1 Week Control (C): No intervention performed Intervention A: a single session of isolated trunk motor retraining, with the therapist guiding 5x 10 second contractions of transversus abdominis (with 10sec rest periods), with real time ultrasound used for visual feedback Intervention B: a single session of global trunk motor retraining, with the therapist guiding a 5x 10 second plank on elbows and toes (with 10 sec rest periods) with verbal feedback from therapist re: correct exercise form Sub Trial 2: Hip Motor Retraining - Washout Period 1 Week Control (C): No intervention performed Intervention A: a single session of isolated hip motor retraining, with the therapist guiding two separate sets of 5x 5 second contractions of gluteus minimus and quadratus femoris respectively (with 5 sec rest periods) - real time ultrasound used as visual feedback Intervention B: a single session of global hip motor retraining, with the therapist guiding 5x 10 sec arabesques and 5x 10sec McConnell wall push (with 10sec rest periods) - verbal feedback from therapist re:correct exercise form Sub Trial 3: Kinesiotaping - Washout Period 1 Week Control (C): No intervention performed Intervention A: application of kinesiotape to the ankle joint by the therapist with effects measured immediately after application, with the tape removed after the session is complete. Tape will be applied in a sling, from the anterior tibia, travelling medially and inferiorly to move underneath the arch of the foot, and back up to the anterior tibia via the lateral aspect of the foot and leg. This will be applied with 50% stretch Intervention B: application of kinesiotape to the hip joint by the therapist with effects measured immediately after application, with the tape removed after the session is complete. Taping will be in a spiral external rotation pattern beginning from the lateral femoral condyle, crossing the thigh anteriorly, over the greater trochanter then posteriorly to the PSIS , applied with 50% stretch. All interventions will be supervised by a qualified APA Sports Physiotherapist. Strategies to improve adherence are irrelevant as all exercises will be performed in a single session and monitored and guided by the researchers
Sponsors
Charles Sturt University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Female aged 18-35
Exclusion criteria
6 Month history of lower limb, abdominal or spinal pathology injury or surgery, chronic ankle instability, any history of serious knee injury, vestibular or balance impairments, cognitive impairments, non-english speaking, severe cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular or integumentary disorders
Outcome results
None listed