Information about project titled 'The Amsterdam Balance Board study: The effect and cost-effectiveness of a balance training programme on the risk of acute lateral ankle injury - a randomized controlled trial'
The Amsterdam Balance Board study: The effect and cost-effectiveness of a balance training programme on the risk of acute lateral ankle injury - a randomized controlled trial
| Details about the project - category | Details about the project - value |
|---|---|
| Project status: | Published |
| Project manager: | Evert Verhagen |
| Supervisor(s): | Willem van Mechelen, Roald Bahr |
| Coworker(s): | Rob Vesters, Ron du Bois, Lex Bouter, Allar van der Beek |
Description
Research has been done on the effect of preventive measures on ankle injuries. It concerns the use of ankle taping (yes/no combined with hig-top sports shoes), ankle braces, and balance board training to improve propriocepcis and strength of the ankle joint muscles. Review of the literature shows the effect of the first two measures in restricting ankle range of motion and in reducing the risk to sustain ankle injury. However, the application of these measures is characterised by unwanted side effects (loosening of tape/brace during play, uncomfortable in use, irritation of the skin, and high expense). The 3rd measure overcomes the drawbacks of the first two and is claimed to be equally effective. This supposedly effective means of intervention has been studied in soccer (Tropp et al. 1985) and volleyball (Bahr et al. 1997). However, from both these studies no definite conclusions on the preventive effect of balance board training can be drawn.
This study concerns such a randomised controlled trial on the effect of a preventive proprioceptive and balance board training program in volleyball players playing in the second and third national volleyball league in the Netherlands, with the following questions:
What is the effect of a preventive propriocepcis and balance board training program on the risk to sustain acute (new and recurrent) lateral ankle injury in volleyball players of the second and third Dutch national volleyball league?
What is the cost-effectiveness of such a program?
What factors determine compliance with the program as part of the regular training routine?
This randomized controlled trial will be carried out during the entire 2001-2002 Dutch volleyball season. The players in these leagues are competitive and homogenous in terms of age and level of skill, as well as training and game exposure. 110 male and female teams are involved, with approximately 10 players per team. The intervention involves pre-season group instruction given to all intervention team trainers and players on the aetiology and prevention of volleyball injuries, practical lessons on the balance board at the start of the season, and a mid-season booster learning session. All reference teams will be asked to continue with their usual training routine. During the season all trainers will collect continuously for every player information on hours of training and league games, as well as the occurrence of sports injuries in general, and of ankle injuries in particular.