Changes in muscle activation following balance and technique training and a season of Australian football. Issue 3 (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Donnelly, C.J.; Elliott, B.C.; Doyle, T.L.A.; Finch, C.F.; Dempsey, A.R.; Lloyd, D.G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 18:Issue 3(2015:May)
• Page Start: 348
• Page End: 352
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.04.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objectives</title> <p id="spar0005">Determine if balance and technique training implemented adjunct to 1001 male Australian football players' training influenced the activation/strength of the muscles crossing the knee during pre-planned and unplanned sidestepping.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Design</title> <p id="spar0010">Randomized Control Trial.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Methods</title> <p id="spar0015">Each Australian football player participated in either 28 weeks of balance and technique training or 'sham' training. Twenty-eight Australian football players (balance and technique training, <italic>n</italic> = 12; 'sham' training, <italic>n</italic> = 16) completed biomechanical testing pre-to-post training. Peak knee moments and directed co-contraction ratios in three degrees of freedom, as well as total muscle activation were calculated during pre-planned and unplanned sidestepping.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Results</title> <p id="spar0020">No significant differences in muscle activation/strength were observed between the 'sham' training and balance and technique training groups. Following a season of Australian football, knee extensor (<italic>p</italic> = 0.023) and semimembranosus (<italic>p</italic> = 0.006) muscle activation increased during both pre-planned sidestepping and unplanned sidestepping. Following a season of Australian football, total muscle activation was 30% lower and peak valgus knee moments 80% greater (<italic>p</italic> = 0.022) during unplanned sidestepping when compared with pre-planned sidestepping.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0030">Conclusions</title> <p id="spar0025">When implemented in a community level training environment, balance and technique training was not effective in changing the activation of the muscles crossing the knee during sidestepping. Following a season of Australian football, players are better able to support both frontal and sagittal plane knee moments. When compared to pre-planned sidestepping, Australian football players may be at increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury during unplanned sidestepping in the latter half of an Australian football season.</p> </sec> </abstract>