Relationship Between Proprioceptive Flexibility and the Occurrence of Lower Limb Ligament Injury in Pivot-contact Sports
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: proprioceptive profile measurement.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Lower Limb Ligament Injury. Basic parameters: 14 years — 25 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- France
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Among young athletes involved in pivot and pivot-contact sports (soccer, handball, rugby, etc.), lateral ankle sprains and lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are the most frequent ligament injuries. Despite existing prevention programs, these injuries lead to prolonged downtime, risk of recurrence and long-term sequelae. A little-studied risk factor is proprioceptive rigidity, defined as the central nervous system's difficulty in adapting the use of sensory information (proprioception) according to environment and motor context. This deficit could limit the ability to maintain balance in high-risk situations, thereby increasing the likelihood of injury. To our knowledge, there is no evidence of a direct link between proprioceptive profile (flexible/rigid) and the incidence of lower-limb ligament injury. If such a link is established, preventive strategies focusing on the recovery of an optimal proprioceptive profile could be developed in an attempt to limit the occurrence of ligament injuries in young elite and sub-elite athletes, and thus limit the medical, financial and personal repercussions for these athletes.
Interventions
- Other proprioceptive profile measurement
Proprioceptive profile is measured by assessing static bipodal balance on a force platform. The patient is asked to stand motionless in bipodal support on a stable and then unstable floor, with vision masked by an eye mask. The investigators randomly apply a tendon vibration (80Hz) to the subjects' Achilles tendons or paravertebral muscles. This vibration alters proprioceptive information in the vibrated zone, leading to a disturbance in postural balance and an increased displacement of the cen
Primary outcome measures
- Rate of occurrence of lower limb ligament injuries in groups of athletes with rigid proprioceptive profiles [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Rate of occurrence of lower limb ligament injuries in groups of athletes with flexible proprioceptive profiles [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
Secondary outcome measures (8)
- Describe the prevalence of rigid and flexible profiles in this population and according to the sport played (rugby, soccer, handball). [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and the period of training or match during which the injury occurred (training or match divided into 4) [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and the period of the season [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and exposure time during training and matches [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and injury mechanism (contact/non-contact) [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and action during which injury occurs (attack/defense) [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and occurrence of a first or recurrent injury [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
- Describe the relationship between proprioceptive stiffness and time to return to sport at the same level [Time frame: During 1 year after inclusion]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Athlete practicing in a high-level program
- Aged between 14 and 25
- Practicing a pivot-contact sport (rugby, soccer, handball)
Exclusion criteria
- Lower limb injury <6 weeks prior to inclusion
- Concussion <6 weeks prior to inclusion
- Known neurological or vestibular disorder
- Lack of consent from athlete or legal guardians
- Non-affiliation with a social security scheme
- Persons under court protection
- Participant in another study with an ongoing exclusion period
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
Study locations
France · 1 center
- CHU Montpellier — Montpellier
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07028723 · RECHMPL25_0121 · 2025-A00797-42