چكيده لاتين
Objective: Dynamic knee valgus is a common risk factor for knee injuries. Landing with a dynamic knee valgus mechanism increases knee abductor torque, leading to excessive strain on the anterior cruciate ligament and, ultimately, knee injuries.This study aimed to investigate the effects of an eight-week Stop-X training program, endorsed by the German National Knee Association, on knee joint proprioception, static and dynamic balance, and specific parameters of the Landing Error Scoring System (knee valgus angle, knee flexion, hip flexion, and trunk flexion) in young amateur male athletes.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 26 young male amateur football players from Kerman were randomly divided into an experimental group (13 participants; age: 17.31 ± 2.62 years, height: 168.31 ± 8.48 cm, weight: 61.77 ± 9.95 kg) and a control group (13 participants; age: 17.92 ± 1.48 years, height: 174.69 ± 7.14 cm, weight: 68.23 ± 10.72 kg). Before and after the intervention, parameters such as landing error scores (knee valgus angle, knee flexion, hip flexion, and trunk flexion), proprioception, static balance (via the Stork test), dynamic balance (via the Y Balance test), and Q angle were measured using video analysis and photographic methods. The experimental group underwent the Stop-X training program three times per week, with each session lasting 20–30 minutes as part of their warm-up routine. The control group continued with their standard warm-up exercises. Data analysis was conducted using paired t-tests for within-group comparisons, and ANCOVA was applied for between-group comparisons at a significance level of P ≤ 0.05.
Results: The results indicated that the Stop-X training program significantly improved proprioception (P = 0.001), static balance (P = 0.019), dynamic balance (P = 0.000), knee valgus angle (P = 0.000), and knee flexion angle (P = 0.000) in the experimental group, with no significant changes observed in the control group. Additionally, hip flexion (P = 0.013) and trunk flexion angles (P = 0.059) did not show significant improvement.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the Stop-X training program by the German National Knee Association improves landing error scores (knee valgus angle, knee flexion, hip flexion, and trunk flexion), proprioception, and static and dynamic balance. This program can be considered an effective and practical warm-up method for preventing and rehabilitating knee injuries.