Identification of Ankle Injury Risk Factors in Professional Soccer Players Through a Preseason Functional Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Etiologically, the risk of an ankle injury depends on extrinsic and intrinsic factors, such as muscle strength asymmetry, decreased flexibility, and decreased proprioception, as well as patient age and history of injuries. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors present in the preseason assessment that may predispose professional soccer players to ankle injuries. We hypothesized that analysis of these parameters could relate the incidence of injuries to the deficits found during the preseason period, enabling the identification of risk factors to predict the occurrence of injuries. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A total of 89 professional soccer athletes were evaluated in the preseason period; the evaluation included athlete history and anthropometric data collection, an isokinetic ankle evaluation, and functional tests: the Dorsiflexion Lunge Test and Y-Balance Test (YBT). The athletes were monitored during the competitive period, and the incidence of injuries was surveyed. The association of quantitative variables and injury outcomes was analyzed using the Student t test for independent samples, with P < .05. For the association of categorical variables and injury outcomes, the chi-square test was performed, with P < .05. RESULTS: A higher incidence of ankle injuries was associated with lower YBT scores in the dominant (P = .04) and nondominant (P = .01) limbs. A higher body mass index was also associated with a higher injury occurrence (P = .01). CONCLUSION: Functional tests, such as the YBT, are indicated tools for assessing the physical capacities and possible risks of ankle sprains, as they can evaluate the ankle functional capacity in a complex way, identifying athletes more prone to ankle injuries. Athletes' body mass index should also be taken into account to prevent such injuries.

Analysis of y balance test and dorsiflexion lunge test in professional and amateur soccer players / Análise do y balance test e dorsiflexion lunge test em atletas de futebol profissionais e amadores / Análisis del y balance test y dorsiflexion lunge test en atletas de fútbol profesionales y amateurs

ABSTRACT Introduction The ankle has the highest incidence of soccer injuries (17 to 20% of injuries), which can cause personal and professional losses for the athlete. Ankle stability is due to a number of mechanisms, such as muscle control between agonists and antagonists, proprioception, balance, and muscle strength. If there are changes in any of these mechanisms, there is an increased risk of ankle injuries. Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the ankle function of amateur and professional soccer players in the preseason, using Y Balance Test (YBT) and Dorsiflexion Lunge Test (DLT), observing possible functional deficits in this sample, and subsequently analyzing the relationship of results between the functional tests in this population. Methods A total of 107 soccer players were assessed, of whom 36 were amateur and 71 professional athletes. The volunteers initially underwent history taking, followed by a 5-minute warm-up on a stationary bicycle then the YBT and DLT functional tests. Results There was no significant difference in the DLT between dominant and non-dominant limbs in amateur and professional athletes. There was also no significant difference in the YBT between dominant and non-dominant limbs of amateur athletes, but there was a significant difference between dominant and non-dominant limbs in professional athletes. There was no correlation between the tests when the dominant and non-dominant limbs of the sample were analyzed. Conclusion The weak relationship between the functional tests indicates that both tests are recommended for athletes in clinical practice, since they serve as tools to assess different functional deficits. Level of Evidence III - Case-control study.

RESUMO Introdução O tornozelo apresenta a maior incidência de lesões no futebol (17 a 20% das lesões), podendo causar prejuízos pessoais e profissionais para o atleta. A estabilidade do tornozelo deve-se a uma série de mecanismos, tais como controle muscular entre agonistas e antagonistas, propriocepção, equilíbrio e força muscular. Caso haja alterações em algum desses mecanismos, há maior risco de lesões no tornozelo. Objetivo O objetivo do presente estudo consistia em analisar a função do tornozelo dos atletas de futebol amadores e profissionais, no período de pré-temporada, utilizando os testes Y Balance Test (YBT) e Dorsiflexion Lunge Test (DLT), observando possíveis déficits funcionais nessa amostra e, posteriormente, analisar a relação dos resultados entre os testes funcionais nessa população. Métodos Foram avaliados 107 atletas de futebol, sendo 36 atletas amadores e 71 atletas profissionais. Os voluntários passaram por uma anamnese inicial seguida por um pré-aquecimento de cinco minutos em bicicleta ergométrica e pelos testes funcionais YBT e DLT. Resultados Não houve diferença significativa no DLT entre os membros dominantes e não dominantes em atletas amadores e profissionais. Além disso, não houve diferença significativa no YBT entre os membros dominantes e não dominantes dos atletas amadores, entretanto, houve diferença significativa entre os membros dominantes e não dominantes dos atletas profissionais. Não houve correlação entre os testes quando analisados os membros dominantes e não dominantes da amostra. Conclusão A baixa relação entre os testes funcionais indica que a realização de ambos é recomendada para atletas na prática clínica, sendo ferramentas de avaliação de déficits funcionais distintos . Nível de Evidência III; Estudo caso-controle.

RESUMEN Introducción El tobillo presenta la mayor incidencia de lesiones en el fútbol (17 a 20% de las lesiones), pudiendo ocasionar perjuicios personales y profesionales para el atleta. La estabilidad del tobillo se debe a una serie de mecanismos, tales como control muscular entre agonistas y antagonistas, propiocepción, equilibrio, y fuerza muscular. En caso que haya alteraciones en alguno de esos mecanismos, hay mayor riesgo de lesiones en el tobillo. El objetivo del presente estudio consistía en analizar la función del tobillo de atletas de fútbol, de las categorías amateur y profesional, en el período de pretemporada, utilizando los tests Y Balance Test (YBT) y Dorsiflexion Lunge Test (DLT), observando posibles déficits funcionales en esa muestra y, posteriormente, analizar la relación de los resultados entre los tests funcionales en esa población. Métodos Se evaluaron 107 atletas de fútbol, siendo 36 atletas amateurs y 71 atletas profesionales. Los voluntarios pasaron por una anamnesis inicial seguida por un precalentamiento de 5 minutos en bicicleta ergométrica y por los tests funcionales YBT y DLT. Resultados No hubo diferencia significativa en el DLT entre los miembros dominantes y no dominantes en atletas amateurs y profesionales. Además, no hubo diferencia significativa en el YBT entre miembros dominantes y no dominantes de atletas amateurs, pero hubo diferencia significativa entre los miembros dominantes y no dominantes en atletas profesionales. No hubo correlación entre los tests cuando analizados los miembros dominantes y no dominantes de la muestra. Conclusión La baja relación entre los tests funcionales indica que la realización de ambos es recomendada para atletas en la práctica clínica, siendo herramientas de evaluación de déficits funcionales distintos. Nivel de evidencia III; Estudio caso-control.