Could specific exercises based on a movement screen prevent injuries in adolescent elite athletes?

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of this study was to explore if specific exercises based on the nine test screening battery (9SB) reduce short-term and seasonal injury occurrence in adolescent elite athletes.

SETTING

Youth elite sports.

DESIGN

Prospective intervention study over 1-year.

PARTICIPANTS

Adolescent elite athletes (n = 216) in age 15-20 from seven different sports.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Seasonal/short-term injury incidence and seasonal substantial/injury prevalence was obtained via weekly surveys completed by study participants.

RESULTS

There was a significant (p = 0.036) difference in the seasonal substantial injury prevalence across number of times the exercises were performed (exercise category), where athletes performing the exercises ≥4 times/week reported significantly (p = 0.048) higher seasonal substantial injury prevalence compared to athletes completing the exercises once a week (median 15.4 vs 0%, r = 0.25). No statistically significant difference in injury incidence (p = 0.429) or seasonal injury prevalence (p = 0.171) was found across exercise category. Performing the exercises once a day compared to not at all did not reduce the short-term risk of new injury or substantial injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide supporting evidence that completing specific exercises based on the 9SB have no group effect on short-term or seasonal injury occurrence in adolescent elite athletes.