The Effectiveness of a Coach-Focused Intervention on Preventing Knee Injuries in Amateur Football Players

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Knee Injuries

• Registration Number: NCT06846008
• Lead Sponsor: Marius Henriksen

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if a coach-focused intervention can help prevent sudden-onset, severe knee injuries in youth and senior amateur football players. The main question it aims to answer is:

Does a coach-focused intervention reduce the number of sudden-onset, severe knee injuries? Researchers will compare a coach-focused intervention, designed to help coaches to use effective injury prevention training, to usual football practice to see if the intervention can prevent sudden-onset, severe knee injuries in football players.

Participants will:

Either receive weekly information and motivation on effective injury prevention training or continue their usual football practice for 14 weeks.

All will receive a weekly text message with a survey link to report any sudden-onset knee injuries among their players for 18 weeks.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Study First Submitted: 2025-02-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-02-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-20
• Study Start: 2025-02-23
• Study First Posted: 2025-02-25
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-25
• Primary Completion: 2025-06-30
• Study Completion: 2025-06-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 476

Inclusion Criteria

1. Coach or manager at Danish amateur football teams at levels from under 14 (U14) years to senior teams.
2. Minimum 18 years of age.
3. Access to a mobile phone and computer.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Limited Danish language skills, which prevents full understanding of the provided material and questionnaires.
2. Affiliation to teams playing under a license ranking by the Danish Football Association where training by a physical trainer is required according to the license criteria of the Danish Football Association).
3. Affiliation solely with old boys'/girls' teams (where the players have to be aged 32 and 29 , respectively, in the current season ).

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The incidence of acute severe knee injuries in players.	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in incidence of acute severe knee injuries (\>28 time-loss days from training and matches) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group compared with players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Incidence of acute knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in incidence of all acute knee injuries (from minimal (1-3 days lost) to severe (\>28 time-loss days from training or match)) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Incidence of acute minimal knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in incidence of acute minimal knee injuries (1-3 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Incidence of acute mild knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in incidence of acute mild knee injuries (4-7 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Incidence of acute moderate knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in incidence of acute moderate knee injuries (8-28 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Time-loss days of acute knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in burden of all acute knee injuries (the total number of time loss days from minimal (1-3 time-loss days) to severe (\>28 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Time-loss days of acute minimal knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in burden of acute minimal knee injuries (1-3 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Time-loss days of acute mild knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in burden of acute mild knee injuries (4-7 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Time-loss days of acute moderate knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in burden of acute moderate knee injuries (8-28 time-loss days from training or match) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.
Time-loss days of acute severe knee injuries	From baseline to end of the intervention, 14 weeks after baseline.	The difference in burden of acute and severe knee injuries (\> 28 time-loss days from training or matches) per 1000 hours of player exposure in players belonging to coaches in the intervention group versus players belonging to coaches in the control group (usual practice) throughout the intervention period.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Parker Institute; 🇩🇰 Frederiksberg, Denmark