External focus instructions have been shown to result in superior motor performance compared to internal focus instructions. Using an EF may help to optimize current anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programs. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of instructions on landing technique and performance by comparing an external focus (EF), internal focus (IF), video (VI) and control (CTRL) group. Subjects (age 22.50 ± 1.62 years, height 179.70 ± 10.43 cm, mass 73.98 ± 12.68 kg) were randomlyassigned to IF (n = 10), EF (n = 10), VI (n = 10) or CTRL group (n = 10). Landing was assessed from a drop vertical jump (DVJ) in five sessions: pretest, two training blocks (TR1 and TR2) and directly after the training sessions (post test) and retention test 1 week later. Group specific instructions were offered in TR1 and TR2. Landing technique was assessed with the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and jump height was taken as performance measure.The results show that males in the VI group and females both in the VI and EF groups significantly improved jump-landing technique. Retention was achieved and jump height was maintained for males in the VI group and females both in the VI and EF groups. It is therefore concluded that EF and VI instructions have great potential in ACL injury prevention.
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Video feedback may be a powerful tool to change biomechanical landing patterns associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. This study investigated the effect of video feedback on drop vertical jump (DVJ) landing strategies in team sport athletes. 59 athletes were assigned to a video feedback (VI) or control (CTRL) group. A pretest, 2 training sessions and a posttest were conducted. In both training sessions, video feedback, consisting of a video of the athlete's contour superimposed onto an expert's contour performing the DVJ landing task, was provided to the VI group; the CTRL group did not receive feedback. Outcomes included: kinematics and kinetics at peak knee valgus/varus moment during pre- and posttest and percentage overlap of expert and athlete during the training sessions. At posttest, males in the VI group showed greater hip flexion angles (p=0.001) and range of motion (p<0.001), smaller vertical ground reaction force, and smaller ankle dorsiflexion moment (p<0.001) compared to pretest. At posttest, males in the VI group demonstrated smaller vertical ground reaction force (p=0.031) and ankle dorsiflexion moment (p=0.001) compared to males in the CTRL group. The VI group increased percentage overlap with the expert during training sessions and from start of the first to the end of the second training session (p<0.001). Overall, video feedback was effective to modify landing strategies favorably in males. While females imitated the expert model, their landing strategy did not change significantly. While Females may need additional (verbal) feedback to benefit from video feedback.
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The aim of this study is to investigate the predictivevalue of landing stability and technique togain insight into risk factors for ankle and kneeinjuries in indoor team sport players. Seventyfivemale and female basketball, volleyball orkorfball players were screened by measuringlanding stability after a single-leg jump landingand landing technique during a repeated countermovement jump by detailed 3-dimensional kinematicsand kinetics. During the season 11 acuteankle injuries were reported along with 6 acuteand 7 overuse knee injuries by the teams’ physicaltherapist. Logistic regression analysis showedless landing stability in the forward and diagonaljump direction (OR 1.01–1.10, p ≤ 0.05) in playerswho sustained an acute ankle injury. Furthermorelanding technique with a greater ankle dorsiflexionmoment increased the risk for acuteankle injury (OR 2.16, p ≤ 0.05). A smaller kneeflexion moment and greater vertical groundreaction force increased the risk of an overuseknee injury (OR 0.29 and 1.13 respectively,p ≤ 0.05). Less one-legged landing stability andsuboptimal landing technique were shown inplayers sustaining an acute ankle and overuseknee injury compared to healthy players. Determiningboth landing stability and technique mayfurther guide injury prevention programs.
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