Description
We investigated the results of physical performance tests in athletes playing high-level collegiate soccer with the aim of identifying data that may be related to injury risks and could therefore be useful for preventing injuries. Study participants were 10 soccer players on the roster of a division 1 university soccer league team. We collected data on the outcomes of the following physical performance tests conducted during the off-season: squat jumps (SJ), countermovement jumps (CMJ), rebound jumps (RJ), 20-m sprints (20mS), and arrowhead agility (AA) tests. In addition, we recorded the incidence of lower extremity injuries during the soccer season. We compared these data between injured and non-injured athletes and also examined the data for any associations with the condition of the anterior talofibular ligament of the ankle confirmed in off-season medical checks in injured athletes. During the study period, 5 of the players sustained injuries that resulted in them withdrawing from playing for 30 days or longer. The results of these players’ performance tests were: SJ, 38.0±4.6 cm; CMJ, 38.2±2.8 cm; RJ, 30.6±6.0 cm; 20mS, 3.02±0.14 s; and AA, 8.19±0.18 s. In the 5 players who did not sustain injuries, the test results were: SJ, 39.7±2.7 cm; CMJ, 44.1±2.2 cm; RJ, 34.4±2.1 cm; 20mS, 2.90±0.06 s; and AA, 7.87±0.13 s. The differences were statistically significant for CMJ, 20mS, and AA (p=0.009, 0.047, and 0.004, respectively). In the injured athletes, there were no obvious differences in performance test results between those with and those without abnormal anterior talofibular ligament findings on the injured side. Decreased jumping power, running speed, and agility in physical performance tests may be predictors of lower extremity injury in high-level soccer players, and increasing athletes’ performance levels in these tests may help to prevent injuries.
