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Prevention of Knee Injuries in Soccer Players

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Sports Injuries

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Abstract

Soccer is a very popular sport in the world, but the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and other knee injuries is high. Knee injuries account for high short-, mid-, and long-term health impairment to soccer players and have high economic costs as well. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of the existing literature regarding studies investigating the effects of prevention programs on the incidence of knee and ACL injuries in soccer players. This review demonstrates that (1) there is no definitive evidence to suggest that prevention programs are effective at reducing knee injuries in general or specific ACL injuries in male soccer players; (2) there is evidence to suggest that prevention programs are not effective at reducing knee injuries in female soccer players; and (3) however, there is evidence to suggest that prevention programs are effective at reducing specific knee injury such as injury to the ACL in female soccer players. More studies are needed to investigate the effects of prevention programs on elite male and female soccer players.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Parc de Salut Mar, Hospital del Mar & Hospital de l’Esperança, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Passeig Martítim 25-29, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

    Eduard Alentorn-Geli

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Zentrum Rehab and Performance Center, Calle B Nave 23, Barañain, Navarre, Spain

    Jurdan Mendiguchía

  3. Division of Sports Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3026, USA

    Gregory D. Myer

Authors
  1. Eduard Alentorn-Geli
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  2. Jurdan Mendiguchía
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  3. Gregory D. Myer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduard Alentorn-Geli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Orthopedics & Traumatology, Hacettepe University Fac. Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Mahmut Nedim Doral

  2. Gothenburg, Sweden

    Jon Karlsson

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Alentorn-Geli, E., Mendiguchía, J., Myer, G.D. (2013). Prevention of Knee Injuries in Soccer Players. In: Doral, M., Karlsson, J. (eds) Sports Injuries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36801-1_81-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36801-1_81-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-36801-1

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