RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 LOWER LIMB FUNCTIONAL ASYMMETRIES IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS: DO DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS?
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 657
OP 657
DO 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093494.260
VO 48
IS 7
A1 I Sannicandro
A1 A Quarto
A1 A Piccinno
A1 G Cofano
A1 RA Rosa
YR 2014
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/7/657.1.abstract
AB Background Functional asymmetries of the lower limbs(FA) have been recognised as a potential source of injury risk of in soccer players;moreover a difference in strength performance between the lower limbs exceeding 15% is considered an injury risk factor. Preventative strategies should be integrated into young football player training regimes⇓⇓. View this table:Table 1. Young soccer players: mean age 9.1±0.1 years. View this table:Table 2. Young soccer players: mean age 11.2±0.1 years *p>0.05. Objective To assess the presence of FA in the lower limbs and evaluate whether the percentage of subjects presenting asymmetries exceeding 15% increases with age. Design Cross-sectional studies. Setting Youth sports. Participants 427 young soccer players: 9.1±0.1 years, 36.3±6.5 kg, 137.9±7.1cm (n=227) and 11.2±0.1 yrs, 43.8±9.7 kg, 148.9±9.1 cm (n=200). Risk factor assessment Monopodalic jump;all three versions were employed: Single (SI), Triple (TR) and Side hop(SE) is considered a valid indicator of FA in the lower limbs. Main outcome measurements Strength in each of the lower limbs was assessed by means of the SI, TR and SE test; the percentage of FA between the lower limbs was calculated using the formula proposed by Yamamoto, 1993: (jump dominant-limb-jump non-dominant limb)/jump dominant-limb*100. Results The percentage valuesare summarised in tables 1 and 2. Conclusions The highest percentage of subjects presenting asymmetries was detected in the 11yr-olds. Comparing the results for the two age groups revealed a statistically significant difference for the SideHop test.