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Research

Neuromuscular training and the risk of leg injuries in female floorball players: cluster randomised controlled study

BMJ 2008; 337 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a295 (Published 01 July 2008) Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a295
  1. Kati Pasanen, researcher1,
  2. Jari Parkkari, chief physician1,
  3. Matti Pasanen, statistician2,
  4. Hannele Hiilloskorpi, researcher1,
  5. Tanja Mäkinen, physician1,
  6. Markku Järvinen, professor4,
  7. Pekka Kannus, chief physician3
  1. 1Tampere Research Center of Sports Medicine, UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland
  2. 2UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research
  3. 3Injury and Osteoporosis Research Center, UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research
  4. 4Department of Surgery, Tampere University Hospital and Medical School, University of Tampere
  1. Correspondence to: K Pasanen kati.pasanen{at}uta.fi
  • Accepted 5 June 2008

Abstract

Objective To investigate whether a neuromuscular training programme is effective in preventing non-contact leg injuries in female floorball players.

Design Cluster randomised controlled study.

Setting 28 top level female floorball teams in Finland.

Participants 457 players (mean age 24 years)—256 (14 teams) in the intervention group and 201 (14 teams) in the control group—followedup for one league season (six months).

Intervention A neuromuscular training programme to enhance players’ motor skills and body control, as well as to activate and prepare their neuromuscular system for sports specific manoeuvres.

Main outcome measure Acute non-contact injuries of the legs.

Results During the season, 72 acute non-contact leg injuries occurred, 20 in the intervention group and 52 in the control group. The injury incidence per 1000 hours playing and practise in the intervention group was 0.65 (95% confidence interval 0.37 to 1.13) and in the control group was 2.08 (1.58 to 2.72). The risk of non-contact leg injury was 66% lower (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.34, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.57) in the intervention group.

Conclusion A neuromuscular training programme was effective in preventing acute non-contact injuries of the legs in female floorball players. Neuromuscular training can be recommended in the weekly training of these athletes.

Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN26550281.

Footnotes

  • We thank the players, coaches, and instructors of each participating team and the physiotherapists who participated and the Finnish Floorball Federation.

  • Contributors: All authors conceived and designed the study. KP carried out the literature search, coordinated and managed the study, which included testing and refining the intervention and data collection. HH contributed to testing the intervention and educating the instructors, which was planned with KP. TM collected the data and carried out preliminary preparations of the data. MP analysed and interpreted the data. KP wrote the first draft of the paper and all authors provided substantive feedback on the paper and contributed to the final manuscript. KP is guarantor.

  • Funding: Finnish Ministry of Education and Medical Research Fund of Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. The funding sources did not have any involvement with the progress of study.

  • Competing interest: None declared.

  • Ethical approval: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland (ETL-code R04072).

  • Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Accepted 5 June 2008
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