Problems and Strategies for the Prevention of Ankle Injuries in Soccer

Abstract

Introduction: The most significant reasons for the frequent ankle injuries in soccer players are the great rivalry and the multiple efforts required by the sport. Objective: Explore the actual scenario of sports injuries in the ankle joint in soccer players, raising adequate prevention strategies. Methods: 22 professional soccer players were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. A controlled experiment lastingsix6 weeks was developed. The experimental group added complementary ankle training in the daily training, while the control group had no changes, according to the usual training plan. Rear (PL) and frontal (AT) balance indexes, functional movement assessment (FMS,) and ankle injury cause (CAI) were collected, analyzed, and compared before and after the intervention. Results: After training, the experimental group’s PL score increased from 106.81±5.33 to 117.69±6.44; AT score increased from 61.94±6.17 to 70.36±5.37; CAI score increased from 22.33±3.58 to 25.38±3.18. Total FMS test score increased from 15.36±1.38 to 18.84±1.99, with trunk flexions standing out (from 2.10±0.43 to 2.57±0.37). On the other hand, the changes in the control group were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The presented complementary ankle training effectively prevented injuries in soccer players and can be applied to reduce sports complications in players in training. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.