@article {Hides607, author = {J Hides and W Stanton and M Smith and D Mendis and M Sexton}, title = {SMALL MULTIFIDUS MUSCLE SIZE PREDICTS FOOTBALL INJURIES}, volume = {48}, number = {7}, pages = {607--607}, year = {2014}, doi = {10.1136/bjsports-2014-093494.129}, publisher = {British Association of Sport and Excercise Medicine}, abstract = {Background In Australian Football, hip, groin and thigh (HGT) muscle injuries have had the highest incidence and prevalence. A previous study showed that football players with relatively more severe pre-season {\textquoteleft}HGT{\textquoteright} injuries had a significantly smaller size of the multifidus muscle. Objective This study was designed to examine the robustness of multifidus muscle measurements as a predictor of lower limb injuries incurred by Australian Football League players. Design This was a prospective quasi-experimental research design. Muscle measurements were conducted at the start of the pre-season to predict pre-season injuries, and at the start of the playing season to predict injuries in the playing season. Setting Players from 6 clubs of the Australian National football league were eligible for inclusion (n=275). Players were assessed on club premises. Participants Assessments were conducted on 259 elite football players for the pre-season (94.2\% of eligible players), and 261 players at the start the playing season (94.9\%). Risk factor assessment Morphology of the multifidus muscle was assessed using ultrasound imaging. Injury data were obtained from records collected by the AFL club staff during the pre-season and the playing season. Main outcome measurements The dependent variable in the binomial logistic regression was occurrence of lower limb injuries in the pre-season and the playing season. Results A lower limb injury was incurred by 38.2\% of the players in the pre-season and 69.5\% of the players in the playing season. A new model using cross-sectional area of the multifidus muscle reliably and consistently predicted lower limb injury in both the pre-season and playing season. In the season, {\textquoteleft}kicking leg{\textquoteright} was related to injury. Conclusions The results of this study have established the predictive power of multifidus muscle size to predict injury in elite football players. These results provide a strong direction for clinicians who screen and treat athletes.}, issn = {0306-3674}, URL = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/7/607.2}, eprint = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/7/607.2.full.pdf}, journal = {British Journal of Sports Medicine} }