NO EFFECT OF ECCENTRIC TRAINING ON JUMPER’S KNEE IN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS DURING THE COMPETITIVE SEASON

Background:: Non-operative treatment of chronic tendon injuries, in particular eccentric training has recently been advocated.

Research question/s:: Does 12 weeks eccentric training in volleyball players with patellar tendinopathy, during the competitive season, improve pain and function?

Methodology::Subjects: Twenty-nine volleyball players with patellar tendinopathy (clinical examination).

Experimental procedure: Subjects were randomised into an eccentric training group (ECC  =  13) (performing 3 × 15 reps 2/day on a 25 decline board at home) and a control (CON  =  16) (training as usual) for a 12-week period during the last half of the competitive season. A symptom-based questionnaire for patellar tendinopathy (Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) score), was recorded before intervention, after intervention and at 6 and 30 weeks. Subjects self-recorded training (eccentric, volleyball training and matches, other training) and a global knee function score and jumping performance was also recorded before and after intervention.

Measures of outcome: VISA score, training sessions, global knee score, jumping performance.

Main finding/s::

• Training: The ECC group completed 8.2 ± 4.6 weekly eccentric training sessions (59% of the recommended volume), and there was no difference between groups in training or competition load

• Global knee score, jumping performance: There was no significant difference between groups for both parameters

Conclusion/s:: A 12-week eccentric training program for volleyball …