The Effect of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Training on Jump Landing Pattern and Knee Kinematic During Jump Landing of Young Football Players

Purpose:
Strengthening and improving neuromuscular control to prevent sport injuries has always been a key focus for researchers and athletes. Landing after a jump with weak neuromuscular control is recognized as one of the most important non-contact mechanisms for knee joint injuries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization exercises on jump landing patterns and knee joint kinematics during landing from a jump in young male football players.
Method:
Thirty semi-professional male football players from the first division of Mashhad football league, who had at least 3 years of experience in football training, participated in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups: a control group (15 participants) and an experimental group (15 participants). To assess landing patterns, the participants performed the Tuck Jump (TJ) test and the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) test. The knee flexion angle in the frontal plane (valgus) during the LESS test was measured using two cameras from sagittal and frontal views, both before and after completing dynamic neuromuscular stabilization exercises. The recorded videos were analyzed using Kinovea software. The control group performed regular football exercises, while the experimental group, in addition to regular football exercises, performed dynamic neuromuscular stabilization training (DNS) for six weeks, with three sessions per week, each lasting 45–60 minutes. The data collected from the study were entered into SPSS version 26 for statistical analysis. The significance level of 0.05 was set to reject or accept the hypotheses, and covariance analysis was used to compare the groups and assess the intervention's effects.
Results:
The results of the study showed that dynamic neuromuscular training led to a significant reduction in the scores of the Landing Error Scoring System (P<0.001), effect size (= 0.79), a reduction in the Tuck Jump test scores (P<0.001), effect size (= 0.63), and a decrease in the knee flexion angle in the frontal plane (valgus) during landing (P< 0.001), effect size (= 0.55) in the post-test phase.
Conclusion:
According to the results of the present study, it appears that dynamic neuromuscular stabilization training in young football players reduce the risk of injury and improve jump landing patterns, potentially preventing injuries. Therefore, the use of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization training in sports involving repeated jumps and landings, such as football, is recommended to prevent non-contact injuries.