Evaluating the Efficacy of a Ladies Gaelic Football-Specific Injury Prevention Programme

NCT07179393 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: DCUREC/2025/056
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 197
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of an injury prevention programme on injury risk factors and performance outcomes in Ladies Gaelic Football players. This injury prevention programme was designed with input from Ladies Gaelic football stakeholders and experts and this study will determine if this programme reduces injury risk and improves physical performance over time. Participants will complete physical performance tests before and after the intervention, which consists of incorporating the injury prevention programme into regular team training sessions for 12 weeks. The study will also integrate a qualitative component to assess player's perceptions of the programme and their willingness to implement it.

Conditions

Injury; Physical Performances

Keywords

Sports Injury Prevention; Community Sport; Ladies Gaelic Football; Injury Prevention Programme

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Change in Y-Balance Composite Score

  Change from pre-testing to post-testing in Ladies Gaelic Football players Y-Balance Composite Score. The Y-Balance Composite Score is a single percentage value from the Y-Balance Test indicating overall stability. Lower scores suggest greater injury risk and higher composite scores suggest less injury risk.

  12 weeks

• Change in 20 Metre Sprint Time

  Change in Ladies Gaelic Football players' 20 metre sprint times from pre-testing to post-testing. Lower time is better.

  12 weeks

• Change in 505 Agility Test Time

  Change in Ladies Gaelic Football players' 505 Agility Test Time from pre-testing to post-testing. Lower time is better.

  12 weeks

• Change in Landing Error Scoring System Score

  Change in Ladies Gaelic Football players' Landing Error Scoring System scores from pre-testing to post-testing. Lower score is better. The minimum possible score is 0 (indicating excellent, low-risk performance), and the maximum possible score is 19 (indicating poor, high-risk performance).

  12 weeks

• Change in Isometric Hamstring Strength (Maximal Force)

  Change in Ladies Gaelic Football Isometric Hamstring Strength (Maximal Force) from pre-testing to post-testing as measured by the VALD ForceFrame. Greater Newtons of force is better.

  12 weeks

• Change in Power Output (measured via a Countermovement Jump)

  Change in Ladies Gaelic Football players' Power Output (measured via a Countermovement Jump) as measured by the VALD ForceDecks. Greater power output (Watts) is better.

  12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Number of sports-related injuries suffered during the intervention period relative to match hours and training hours (injury incidence)

  12 weeks

• Player/Coach perceptions of the programme and willingness to implement it

  12 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Those in the Control Group continue with their regular training/injury prevention practices during the intervention period.

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Those in the Intervention Group perform the injury prevention programme twice weekly as part of their regular training sessions.

Behavioral: Ladies Gaelic Football-Specific Injury Prevention Programme

Interventions

Ladies Gaelic Football-Specific Injury Prevention Programme BEHAVIORAL

This intervention is an injury prevention programme designed with input from Ladies Gaelic football stakeholders (players and coaches) as well as experienced athletic therapy and physiotherapy practitioners and academics from the disciplines of injury prevention and coaching science.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Current Ladies Gaelic Football player competing at adult or minor level from teams consenting to participate in the trial

You may not qualify if:

• Players with a current injury preventing full training participation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dublin City University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dublin City University

Dublin, Ireland

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Wounds and Injuries

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Cluster Randomised Trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 11, 2025
• First Posted: September 17, 2025
• Study Start: June 23, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 3, 2025
• Study Completion: October 3, 2025
• Last Updated: December 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

IE (1)