Performance Effects with Injury Prevention Exercise Programmes in Male Youth Football Players: A Randomised Trial Comparing Two Interventions

BACKGROUND: Increased performance from injury prevention exercise programmes (IPEPs) may affect injury risks positively and support the implementation of IPEPs. The primary aim was to study the performance effects of injury prevention exercises from two different IPEPs, the Knee Control IPEP and the further developed Knee Control+ IPEP, in youth male football players, and the secondary aim was to compare potential differences in performance effects between the IPEPs. METHODS: Four male youth football teams were tested for agility, hop and sprint performance at the start of the second half of the competitive season and after the end of the 8-week season. Per randomisation, two teams used Knee Control and two teams Knee Control+. RESULTS: In total, 47 players executed a median of 13 IPEP sessions (range 11–21 sessions). No improvements in performance were seen in the group as a whole. The intervention groups showed small declines in sprint and agility performance. There was a significant between-group difference in change for the 505 agility test, with improved performance in the Knee Control and worse performance in the Knee Control+ group, Δ(KC vs KC+) = − 0.012 (95% CI − 0.19 to −0.04), d = 0.98. CONCLUSIONS: No clinically meaningful performance effects were seen from the Knee Control or Knee Control+ IPEP in youth male athletes and no meaningful differences were seen between Knee Control and Knee Control+ regarding effects on performance tests. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03251404. Registered on 16 August 2017.