Effect of neuromuscular training on proprioception, balance, muscle strength, and lower limb function in female team handball players.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Introduction of a neuromuscular training program will increase muscle strength, balance, and proprioception in elite female handball players. DESIGN: Prospective intervention study. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five female team handball players from 2 teams in the elite division participated. Their mean age was 23 (+/-2.5) years, and their mean weight was 69.2 (+/-7.3) kg. They had played handball for 14.9 (+/-3.2) years, 4.7 (+/-2.8) years at the top level. The total number of training hours per week was 10 to 11. INTERVENTION: Based on earlier studies and knowledge about common risk situations in team handball, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention program with 3 different sets of exercises was developed, each set with a 5-step progression from simple to more challenging exercises. The teams were instructed to use the program a minimum of 3 times a week during a training period of 5 to 7 weeks, and then once a week during the season. The duration of each training session was approximately 15 minutes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Balance (KAT 2000), proprioception (threshold to detection of passive motion), muscle strength (Cybex 6000), and 3 functional knee tests. The players were tested pretraining (test 1) and 8 weeks (test 2) and 12 months (test 3) after the training started. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in dynamic balance between test 1 and test 2, with a balance index (BI) of 924 (+/-225) and 778 (+/-174), respectively (P = 0.01). The effect on dynamic balance was maintained 1 year after training (BI, 730 +/- 156). For static balance, no statistically significant changes were found. For the other variables measured, there were no statistical differences during the study period. CONCLUSION: The ACL injury prevention training program improved dynamic balance in an elite team handball players.

Author information

Author/s: Holm, Inger (I); Fosdahl, Merete Aarsland (MA); Friis, Astrid (A); Risberg, May Arna (MA); Myklebust, Grethe (G); Steen, Harald (H);

Affiliation: Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. inger.holm(-atsign-)rikshospitalet.no

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article

Journal: Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine (Clin J Sport Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Mar; vol 14 (issue 2) : pp 88-94

Dates: Created 2004/03/11; Completed 2004/08/05; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 15014342, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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