(36) LOWER EXTREMITY INJURY PREDICTION FROM COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP DISCRETE VARIABLES IN NCAA DIVISION 1 WOMEN'S SOCCER

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the countermovement jump and non-contact lower body injuries.  More athletic programs utilize force platforms now due to the decreased cost.  There is, however, a paucity of research indicating the relationship of variables to injury with cutoff scores to indicate the minimum necessary value for the athlete to possess. 

Methods: 25 collegiate soccer players (n=25, height = 1.66± 0.04m, weight =65.24± 7.45kg,) participated in the countermovement jump on bilateral force platforms as a part of routine testing. The software provided by the manufacturer was used to process the raw data.

Results:  Pearson correlation coefficients for the significant variables, mean of the healthy and injured groups, as well as cutoff values per variable as calculated by a ROC curve are presented in Table 1. 

Conclusion: Athletes who were injured had significantly lower values for relative force at minimum displacement, peak relative braking force, and average relative propulsive force.  The injured athletes also took significantly longer to perform both the braking and propulsive phases.  The injured athlete’s group had to perform a greater countermovement depth even though their jump height was not significantly different.  Practical Application: The use of a cutoff value for pertinent variables such as Force at Minimum displacement and peak relative propulsive forces may illustrate who are below a threshold value are at increased risk of injury.  By identifying those individuals through screening with a CMJ, it is possible that an intervention may be employed to decrease future injury risk.  Further research is needed to ensure that the cutoff level is appropriate. 

Acknowledgements: None