The Effect of Acute Focus of Attention Instructions on Biomechanical Indexes Associated with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sport Sciences & Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 shahid beheshti university

Abstract

Background and Aims: ACL injury is one of the most common and serious injuries of the knee joint, which include about 80% of all knee ligament surgeries. Studies have shown that a significant percentage of this injury (70%) occurs non-contact and usually during movements such as deceleration, landing or side cutting. Studies have shown that focus instructions improve performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of focus instructions on Biomechanical indexes associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention.
Materials and Methods: In this research, 24 young football players from the two clubs of Tehran Premier League were randomly divided into two groups: external focus attention (n=12), internal focus attention (n =12). First, dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), peak of vertical, anterior-posterior and medio-lateral GRF and rate of loading during the jump-landing movement from a box with 30 cm height were calculated from GRF which was recorded using a force plate with a sampling frequency of 1000 HZ. Then, the internal and external focus instructions were taught to the participants and the two groups performed post-test to examine the changes. Statistical methods of repeated measure ANOVA, and paired t-test were used to evaluate the changes.
Results: The results showed significant changes in the vertical GRF and rate of loading variables in both groups of internal and external focus attention (P≤0.05). No significant difference was observed in the DPSI, anterior-posterior and medio-lateral GRF
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that acute instructions of both internal and external focus attention can improve landing mechanics and landing-related kinetic variables. It seems that the external focus instructions have been able to increase the motor control of the limb, lead to a further reduction of vertical GRF and the load of applied to the lower limb in compared to the instructions of internal focus and thus reduce the risk of ACL injury.

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Volume 13, Issue 2
In-Press
May and June 2024
  • Receive Date: 09 May 2022
  • Revise Date: 28 May 2022
  • Accept Date: 30 May 2022
  • First Publish Date: 07 June 2022