Effects of lower extremity injuries on aerobic exercise capacity, anaerobic power, and knee isokinetic muscular function in high school soccer players.
Kwang-Jun Ko, Gi-Chul Ha, Dong-Woo Kim and 1 others
PMID 29184275WHAT IT FOUND
High school soccer players with lower extremity injuries had lower aerobic capacity and lower anaerobic threshold, and became more fatigued on a 30 second power test.
Knee strength did not differ.
Key findings
01Injured players had significantly lower maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, and anaerobic threshold time than controls.
02Peak and average anaerobic power did not differ, but fatigue index was significantly higher in injured players.
03Knee extension strength, knee flexion strength, and extension/flexion ratio did not differ significantly.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study included only 40 players from one high school team, so results may not apply to other athletes. The injury group had already returned to training or competition and had no pain or functional limitation, so the findings may not apply to players who are still injured, have had surgery, or have more severe injuries. Player position, injury severity, rehabilitation duration, and return period were not considered. The design compared groups at one time and did not measure players before injury, so it cannot show that injury caused the differences.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a lower extremity injury caused the lower aerobic capacity or higher fatigue index. The study compared players after they had already returned to play, did not measure them before injury, and did not randomize or follow them over time.