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Performance of male and female soccer players in field-based tests for screening the anterior cruciate ligament injury risk

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Abstract

Background

Female soccer players have a higher anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rate than male players, possibly due to sex-specific intrinsic risk factors. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and the Step-Down Test (SDT) have been used for screening the ACL injury risk, but the performance of adult soccer players in these field-based tests remains unclear.

Purpose

To compare the performance of well-conditioned male and female soccer players on two field-based tests for screening the ACL injury risk: the LESS and the SDT.

Methods

Sixty-seven soccer players from first state division teams were part of this study: 36 men (20 ± 1 years) and 31 women (21 ± 2 years). All players had no ACL injury history, and performed both tests in their clubs’ facilities.

Results

No significant difference between groups was found for total score on the LESS [male = 2.56 ± 1.25 (2.14; 2.98); female = 2.81 ± 1.64 (2.21; 3.41); p = 0.779] or the SDT [male = 2.61 ± 1.02 (2.26; 2.96); female = 2.97 ± 0.95 (2.62; 3.32); p = 0.280]. A greater percentage of females counted “errors” related to knee medialization and trunk-flexion displacement during LESS execution, while males failed more often in relation to foot positioning. Distribution of “errors” on the SDT was similar between sexes.

Conclusions

Male and female professional soccer players presented similar total scores in the LESS and the SDT. However, female players seem to present some landing features potentially harmful to the ACL (related to dynamic knee valgus and poor trunk-flexion displacement) more often than males.

Level of evidence

3a.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Sarmento Leite St, 245, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil

    Vanessa Bernardes Marques, Daniel Fernandes Oliveira, Vinicius de Borba Capaverde, Rafael Cristane Michel, João Breno Araujo Ribeiro-Alvares & Bruno Manfredini Baroni

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  1. Vanessa Bernardes Marques
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  2. Daniel Fernandes Oliveira
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  3. Vinicius de Borba Capaverde
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Correspondence to João Breno Araujo Ribeiro-Alvares.

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This study was previously approved under #804366.0.0000.5345 by the research ethics committee of the The Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Brazil.

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Marques, V.B., Oliveira, D.F., de Borba Capaverde, V. et al. Performance of male and female soccer players in field-based tests for screening the anterior cruciate ligament injury risk. Sport Sci Health 19, 131–137 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-022-01011-1

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