The effectiveness of neuromuscular training warm-up program for injury prevention in adolescent male basketball players

Paravlić, Armin (author), Bakalár, Peter (author), Puš, Katarina (author), Pišot, Saša (author), Kalc, Miloš (author), Teraž, Kaja (author), Šlosar, Luka (author), Peskar, Manca (author), Marušič, Uroš (author), Šimunič, Boštjan (author)

This study evaluated the effects of a neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up program on injury incidence, neuromuscular function, and program adherence, maintenance and acceptance in adolescent basketball players. A total of 275 players from 20 Slovenian teams (15 ± 1.7 years of age), were randomized into an intervention group (IG, n=129) and a control group (CG, n=146). Over three months, the IG incorporated NMT into their warm-ups, while the CG followed their usual practice. Measurements of body anthropometry, muscle contractile properties, and balance were taken before and after the intervention. Also, the injury incidence, training adherence and maintenance were reported. Both groups showed improved balance, with no significant difference between them. However, IG demonstrated reduced delay times in specific muscles, indicating improved neuromuscular function. Injury prevalence proportion (%) during the whole study period was higher in the control group compared to intervention (IG: 10.9% vs. CG: 23.3%), and incidence rate. Moreover, the incidence rate ratio for sustaining an injury was 2.6 on average (ranging from 0.88 to 7.07 for tendon and muscle injuries, respectively), indicating significantly lower injury risk in IG than CG. These findings highlight the effectiveness of NMT warm-ups in reducing injury risk and enhancing neuromuscular function, emphasizing the value of structured injury prevention strategies in youth sports.

• Language: English
• Keywords: muscle contractile properties, balance, injury incidence, injury prevalence, training adherence
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 2083–2092
• Numbering: Vol. 42, no. 22
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-165198
• UDC: 796.01:796.323.2-053.6
• ISSN on article: 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2415215
• COBISS.SI-ID: 215422723
• Publication date in RUL: 26.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of sports sciences
• Shortened title: J. sports sci.
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences
• ISSN: 1466-447X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 4350129

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: lastnosti mišične kontrakcije, ravnotežje, pojavnost poškodb, razširjenost poškodb, adherenca treninga, mišice, športne poškodbe

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: Erasmus+, Sport Collaborative Partnerships
• Project number: 622594-EPP-1-2020-1-SK-SPO-SCP
• Name: Physical Activity-Related Injuries Prevention in Adolescents
• Acronym: PARIPRE