Balance Performance of Professional Footballers with Long Term Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Injury in Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Balance has been reported to have an effect on athletic performance; therefore impairment in the sense of balance may result in reduced athletic performance. Lower limb musculoskeletal injury (LLMI) is the most common injury found among footballers, and most commonly-cited risk factor for poor balance performance. However, there is a disagreement over balance impairment persisting in Professional footballers with long term LLMI after the initial rehabilitation upon resuming normal sporting activities. This study therefore aimed at determining the BPF of Professional footballers with long term lower limb musculoskeletal injury, the effect of time lapse since occurrence of injury on BPF, compare BPF of injured professional footballers and uninjured footballers and to compare BPF and site/segment of LLMI among Professional footballers in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria.

Sample of convenience was used to recruit 41 professional footballers. The participants comprised of 28(68.3%) injured players (IP) and 14(31.7%) uninjured players (UP) whose ages ranged from 17 to 30 years. Sociodemographic information of age, limb dominance, onset of injury and sites/segments of injury were obtained. Participant’s weight and height were measured using standardized procedure. Balance Performance (BPF) was assessed using the Stork balance stand test.

The results indicated that lower balance performance was observed in the injured limb compared to the uninjured limb in IP (P<0.001). BPF was lower in the dominant limb of IP compared with the dominant limb of UP (P<0.001). Time lapse since injury and sites/segments of the LLMI did not have any effect on BPF (P>0.05). It was concluded that balance problems persist in professional footballers with long term LLMI irrespective of time lapse since injury and sites/segments of the LLMI. Coaches and rehabilitation personnel should pay particular attention on balance retraining of players with LLMI using balance exercise programs that will mainly improve/centered on their balance performance.

Keywords: Balance performance, Footballers, LLMI