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Reduced hip extension muscle strength led to greater risk of lateral ankle sprain in soccer players
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Recently published results showed male youth soccer players with reduced hip extension muscle strength were at a greater risk for lateral ankle sprains.
Researchers collected anthropometric characteristics of 133 male youth soccer players and assessed hip muscle strength using a handheld dynamometer. During three consecutive seasons, the team medical staff recorded players’ injuries.
Results showed a lateral ankle sprain was sustained among 12 participants. This represented 18% of all reported injuries. Multivariate Cox regression model identified posterior chain hip muscle force as an independent risk factor for lateral ankle sprains, after investigators adjusted for body size dependencies and other hip muscle forces. Researchers noted significantly lower hazards to sustain a lateral ankle sprain among players with higher posterior chain hip muscle forces. Participants with a lateral ankle sprain with posterior chain hip muscle force scores higher than the sample means had a mean survival time up to 10% longer on average. Researchers could not identify any other study variable as a risk factor for lateral ankle sprains. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Carol Frey, MD
There are prospective studies, but not consensus, on risk factors that predispose an athlete to lateral ankle sprains. These risk factors include: height; weight; limb dominance; ankle-joint laxity; anatomical alignment; muscle strength; muscle-reaction time; gender; previous injury; game vs. practice conditions; level of play; age; psychological factors; and postural sway.
The current study focuses on the role of proximal stabilizing muscles based on kinetic chain theories. Impaired proximal function is thought to increase the occurrence of uncontrolled joint movements throughout the lower kinetic chain, which may increase the risk of injury. In this three-season prospective study of male youth soccer players, decreased hip extension strength is identified as an independent risk factor for lateral ankle sprain.
Hip extensor muscles play a major role in deceleration of the body’s center of mass. The ability to slow high-velocity movements, as required in soccer, may be limited if the player has decreased hip extension strength, and the player is at risk for ankle sprains.
Future research should establish and confirm the efficacy of exercise-therapy protocols and better isolate the individual muscle groups to be strengthened so that injury can be prevented. Sport-specific maneuvers should be included in the protocol.
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