Strength development and non‐contact lower limb injury in academy footballers across age groups

Abstract

Non‐contact lower limb injuries are common in academy football. Yet, the impact these injuries have on strength development in academy footballers remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of non‐contact lower limb injury on hip, groin, and knee flexor strength development in male academy youth footballers. Furthermore, this study: reports normative strength data of emerging field‐based tests that can be easily deployed in football academies; explores the effect of age on injury occurrence; and highlights the number of days lost from injury in male youth footballers. Assessments of hip adductor, abductor, and eccentric knee flexor strength were obtained from 195 academy football players during pre‐season and at the end of season. In‐season injuries were recorded by medical staff. Those footballers who sustained non‐contact lower limb injury were compared with those who did not sustain a non‐contact lower limb injury. No between‐group differences were observed for any strength assessments when controlled for pre‐season measures. Stronger footballers at pre‐season experienced strength loses, while those weaker players gained strength across the season. Hip strength development was impaired in older age group footballers. Sustaining a non‐contact lower limb injury had minimal impact on strength development. In the absence of in‐season lower limb strength monitoring, development in academy youth footballers may not progress as expected, and in particular, stronger and older youth athletes may benefit from individualized strength training.

Injury incidence in elite youth soccer academy athletes: a 3-year retrospective follow up

“…In the current study, approximately 15% of the injuries were seen to be recurrent injuries, and hamstring muscle injuries recurred the most (42%). Well-structured rehabilitation programs that induce functional and structural recovery, and support technical and tactical development, will facilitate adaptation to a return to sports and reduce the risk of re-injury (27). One of the most important questions about returning to soccer after an injury is about the timing of this return.…”

Field based lower limb strength tests provide insight into sprint and change of direction ability in academy footballers

“…The testing schedule might have provided insufficient recovery periods between maximal contractions, but the protocols used are consistent with past research. [5][6][7] Testing sprint and COD performance on a 3G playing surface could also be seen as limitation, since matches are usually played on natural grass and this may have altered the players' normal movement patterns. However, presenting in-season strength and performance data of a large sample size of academy footballers in an applied setting could also be viewed as an advantage as it addresses the paucity of research in this population.…”

“…However, presenting in-season strength and performance data of a large sample size of academy footballers in an applied setting could also be viewed as an advantage as it addresses the paucity of research in this population. 7,41…”

“…3 Recently, novel field-based hamstring, hip, and groin strength assessment devices (Nordbord [patented] and Force Frame TM , Vald Performance, Albion, Australia) have been developed that allow rapid, reliable, and valid strength testing. [4][5][6] Research has previously reported strength data for academy footballers using these devices, 7 but it remains to be seen whether these measures provide an insight into sprint or COD performance in this population. One study, using a replica device, reported an inverse relationship (r = −0.52; 95% CI = −0.36 to −0.63) between normalized Nordic hamstring strength (NHS) and 20m sprint time 8 ; however, that study 8 did not investigate the association between NHS and COD.…”

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“…Professionalism became formal and legal in 1885, considered the beginning of football's essential stages where players were recognized after a long development stage. There was an interception for a few promotions in universities and schools and called the name of the game in England gentleman any gentleman because it was exercised in an environment of high-level social and cultural terms (Jones et al, 2020). The continued professionalism, hidden in the decade's persuasive football era, but complaints started raining down on the English Football Association.…”