Neuromuscular control of the knee joint during basketball season in male youth players

Background: Basketball players are among the players with a great risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury due to the high-intensity manoeuvres which have been identified as very common factors preceding this injury. Objective: This study aimed to assess differences in leg stiffness and reactive strength throughout a competitive season in youth basketball players and to assess the effect of age and performance level on these variables. Methods: The research study involved a total of 48 male basketball players from the age group U14 and U16 played the first and second highest league in Czech Republic. Reactive strength index (RSI) and leg stiffness were measured at the beginning of the season, mid-season, and at the end of the season. Analysis of Variance for repeated measures was used to identify the influence of age, season phases, and levels of performance to monitored variables. Results: The results showed significant changes among season phases in RSI (F = 4.48, p = .014) and relative leg stiffness (F = 7.17, p = .002) in observed players, however significantly higher values at the end of the season than at its beginning were found in RSI only (p = .014). Differences between subgroups with different levels of performance were not significant in both categories as well as age differences. Conclusions: The current study did not point-out to significant changes among season phases in reactive strength and leg stiffness in adolescent basketball players. The study did not confirm that reactive strength and leg stiffness is gradually improving during adolescence and suggestion that level of performance positively influences reactive strength and leg stiffness was confirmed only in the case of reactive strength.