Knee-ABC 2 reduces acute, severe and overuse knee injuries.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Orthopedics
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Handball poses a high risk for knee injuries.
• Acute, severe, and overuse knee injuries are common in handball.
• Effective injury prevention strategies are crucial for handball players.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Knee-ABC 2 injury prevention program.
• To determine if the program reduces acute, severe, and overuse knee injuries in handball athletes.
• To assess the program's impact on injury incidence and severity.

Main Methods:

• Cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 69 handball teams (U-15 to senior levels).
• Intervention group completed the Knee-ABC 2 program; control group did not.
• Injury data (acute, severe, overuse) and exposure were collected over one season using online questionnaires.
• Primary outcome: incidence of acute, severe knee injury. Secondary outcomes: overuse injury prevalence/intensity (OSTRC, VISA-P scores).

Main Results:

• Significantly lower incidence of acute, severe knee injuries in the intervention group (0.059/1000h) vs. control group (0.348/1000h).
• Intervention group reported fewer overuse injuries (OSTRC score >0: 51.5% vs. 63.8%) and lower intensity.
• No significant difference in patellar tendinopathy scores (VISA-P) between groups.

Conclusions:

• The Knee-ABC 2 program effectively prevents acute, severe, and overuse knee injuries in handball players of all ages.
• Regular implementation of the Knee-ABC 2 program should be standard practice.
• Team managers should be educated on incorporating this program into training routines.