Effects of Knee Control
In a 2017/2018 study we investigated the injury incidence in youth floorball players and the preventive effect of training with Knee Control. Boys and girls aged 12-17 years in the Östergötland and Småland districts participated.During the season, almost half of the players suffered injury and in an average week 14% of players reported having an injury. The most common acute injuries were joint/ligament sprains and muscle strains, while overuse injuries accounted for two-thirds of injuries. The most common injury locations were to the knee and foot/ankle.
Teams in the intervention group that used Knee Control had a 35% lower risk of injury overall, and a 45% lower risk of acute injuries. The preventive effect was seen in both boys and girls but was most evident in boys. Compliance to Knee Control was generally high, being carried out at 84% of all training sessions during the season, with an average of 1.5 sessions per week. A dose-response relationship was seen between a higher dose of Knee Control and a greater reduction of injury risk, particularly among boys.
Support for Knee Control programme use
We explored youth floorball players’ and coaches’ perspectives on using the Knee Control programmes and how to overcome barriers to programme use in a qualitative study in 2023. Players perceived that improved performance, e.g. increased strength and speed, after training with Knee Control increased their motivation to use the programme. Coaches described that collaboration with other coaches and support from federations and clubs increased their confidence to use Knee Control. Players and coaches had suggestions ta facilitate use of Knee Control, e.g. that the training should be adapted and developed over time, to choose exercises that fit the team, and progress gradually. They also stressed that injury prevention training should be implemented at a young age, kept simple and trying to motivate players with e.g. positive role models.Funding & collaboration
The projects have been funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Research Council for Sport Science.We have ongoing collaboration with the Swedish Floorball Federation and Floorball Research and Development Centre to implement the results in Swedish floorball. New material for Knee Control+ have been produced in collaboration with the Swedish Floorball Federation and included in the Swedish floorball coach education curriculum. You can access the programme here.