Assessing the benefits of neuromuscular training in preventing sports injuries: A physiotherapy approach

Abstract

This study set out to evaluate the efficacy of NT in mitigating the risk of the students and other sportsmen and women of collegiate and amateur soccer, basketball, and volleyball teams with sports injuries. The study design used was a randomized controlled trial with 100 participants, 50 males and 50 females aged between 18 and 35 years. The subjects were divided into the NT group, which exercised three times a week for 12 weeks with NT, and the control group, which trained as they usually did. The main objective was to capture the number of lower limb injuries and the secondary objectives involved capturing joint stability, proprioception, and functional performance. The NT group had a 12% incidence of injury while the control had a 30% incidence; chi-square = 8.43, p = 0.004. Further, the NT group recorded significant changes in joint stability, as measured by the anterior drawer test (p < 0.001) and proprioception using a balance board (p < 0.001). In addition, functional performance measures such as the vertical jump height, agility, and one-rep max squat all improved significantly (p < 0.001). Hence, the study shows that the assimilation of NT in athletic training could help prevent acts of injuries and propel the performance of athletes.