The relationship between physical and functional status and knee pain in adolescent basketball players

Abstract

Knee pain is one of the most common problems in adolescent basketball players (Harris et al., 2021), especially during periods of rapid growth (Iwatsu et al., 2023). It is relevant to investigate how physical and functional status affects the occurrence of knee pain in this age group. Limited functional movements have been found to be associated with poorer dynamic balance and trunk endurance, leading to increased risk of injury (Ünver et al., 2020). In addition, leg muscle length has also been associated with knee pain risk and injury likelihood (Hanief and Widiawati, 2021). Monitoring the functional and physical status of young basketball players is important in order to develop effective prevention programmes to reduce the incidence of injuries (Huang et al., 2023). It is not clear yet, what the relationship between physical and functional status and knee pain in adolescent basketball players.  So the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physical and functional status and knee pain in adolescent basketball players.

Methods: in this study participated the 19 basketball players boys, 12.2 ± 1.1 years old. All participants actively engaged in basketball for at least 3 years, training 4 times a week for 90 minutes, have not suffered any injuries in the last 6 months, not diagnosed orthopaedics problems.  They all were divided into two groups: first - with knee pain (n=9) and second - without knee pain (n=10). First at all, participants completed a questionnaire about their anthropometrics data, training status and trauma. After that, their pain intensity was assessed by a Numeric Pain Rating Scale, functional status by the Functional Movement Screen Test, and physical status by the Thomas, Ely’s and Toes Reach Tests.

Results: participants with knee pain felt 4.2 ± 2.2 p. intensity knee pain, scored less points from functional movement screen test than those who did not feel pain (respectively, 14.4 ± 1.1 p. and 16.6 ± 1.2 p.) (p<0.05). From all 19 participants, the m. Rectus Femoris was found to be shortened in 7 basketball players, 6 of whom complained of knee pain, and the m. Iliopsoas in 8, of whom 6 felt knee pain. Fourteen subjects were also found to have shortened Hamstrings, 8 of whom had knee pain. No significant relationships were found.

Conclusion: The intensity of knee pain in adolescent basketball players is not related to their functional and physical status. Although, players who experienced knee pain had limited functional movements and reduced leg muscle length than those who did not experience pain.