Key Points
- To evaluate the efficacy of neuromuscular training injury prevention strategies on sport-related injury outcomes in youth athletes.
- Systematically searched three electronic databases through September 2014 for prospective analytic studies examining neuromuscular training interventions against sport injury outcomes in youth.
- Assessed study quality using Downs and Black criteria and restricted meta-analyses to randomized controlled trials to maintain study design homogeneity for lower extremity and knee injury outcomes.
- Identified 25 eligible studies from 2,504 screened records, with meta-analysis demonstrating that neuromuscular training significantly reduced lower extremity injury risk (incidence rate ratio: IRR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.84).
- Knee injury risk demonstrated a non-significant protective point estimate favoring neuromuscular training interventions (IRR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.07).
Structured PICO
Do neuromuscular training strategies reduce the risk of injury in youth sport?
PPopulationYouth participating in sport (25 included studies)
IInterventionNeuromuscular training prevention strategy intervention(s)
OOutcomeInjury sustained during sport participation (lower extremity and knee injury outcomes)hard clinical
Neuromuscular training strategies are effective in reducing the risk of lower extremity injuries in youth sports.
Limitations
- Lack of uptake and ongoing maintenance of such programmes