Effect of Specific ACL Injury Prevention Training in Female Handball Players

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: ACL Injury Prevention

• Registration Number: NCT05955599
• Lead Sponsor: Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre

Brief Summary

The anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries rates in female handball are high, particularly among adolescents. Therefore, the primary purpose of this randomized control trial is to explore the effects of an 8-week ACL injury prevention program on muscle activation of the medial hamstring muscles during sidecutting in female handball players.

Secondary aims are to evaluate if training effects are age-related (pre-adolescent: 11-13 year old vs. adults: ≥18 years old). The age-related comparisons Include:

1. Medial hamstring muscles activation during sidecutting;

2. Well-known biomechanical ACL injury-risk factors during high risk movements, such as cutting and landing tasks;

3. Cortical and muscular activity and functional connectivity patterns during controlled knee movements;

4. Visuomotor skill learning during a simple task involving the hamstring muscles.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-02-28
• Study First Submitted: 2023-04-21
• Status Verified: 2023-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-07-13
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-07-13
• Study First Posted: 2023-07-21
• Last Update Posted: 2023-07-21
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

• Female handball players playing in youth teams from the age group under 13 (11-13 years old) and adult (≥18 - 40 years old) females playing for elite u19 or senior teams in Denmark
• Have minimum 1 year of experience from playing handball
• Mental and physical skills to complete the electrophysiological and biomechanical tests

Exclusion Criteria

• Girls/women outside the age groups listed above
• Prior surgeries to the lower limbs (e.g. ACL-reconstructions, meniscus lesions)
• Current intake of medications that include antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antiparkinson, hypnotics, stimulants, and/or antihistamines
• Neurological and/or psychiatric diagnoses
• Pregnant

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neuromuscular adaptations during sidecutting	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Semitendinosus muscle pre-activity (sEMG) duirng handball specific sidecutting. Outcome measure is expressed in %MVC.during sidecutting.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in shoulder sensorimoter stability	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Shoulder sensorimoter stability measured as CoP length (mm) from force platform data.
Changes in isometric strength	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Peak isometric hamstring and hip external rotation strength, respectively. Outcome measure is expressed in force (Newtons).
Changes in Shoulder Rotator Cuff Strength	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Peak isometric internal and external rotator cuff strength. Outcome measure is expressed in force (Newtons).
Changes in 3D hip and knee joint angles	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Hip and knee joint kinematic for sidecutting and single-leg landings. This include joint kinetics at initial contact and local maximum and minimums. Outcome is expressed in three-dimensional joint angles (degrees)
Changes in 3D hip and knee joint moments	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Hip and knee joint kinetics for sidecutting and single-leg landings. Outcome is expressed in three-dimensional joint moments (M)
Changes in hamstring and quadriceps pre-activation	Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Hamstring (biceps femoris) and quadriceps (vastus lateralis and medialis) pre-activation (sEMG) during sidecutting and single-leg landings. Outcome measure is expressed in %MVC.
Visuomotor Skill Learning	Change from Baseline to Baseline +1 Day, Change from Baseline to Training Completion at 8 weeks. And retention 8-weeks after the prevention program was completed.	Age-related differences in motor performance, skill acquisition and retention during and following visuomotor skill practice. Specific outcomes measure will be time on target (seconds per target).

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Department of Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychomotor Therapy, Faculty of Health, University College Copenhagen; 🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark

Human Movement Analysis Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital; 🇩🇰 Hvidovre, Denmark