Evaluation of the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation programs for lower limb muscle injuries in professional football players

BACKGROUND: Professional football is characterized by a high incidence of injuries, with approximately 90% of traumatic events involving the muscles of the lower limbs. The current realities of football commercialization requiring the fastest possible return of players to competition, and at the same time, reducing the risk of injury recurrence. Technologies of physical and rehabilitation medicine using high-intensity laser therapy and high-intensity magnetic therapy appear to be effective tools for addressing these challenges.

AIM: The work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a medical rehabilitation program for lower limb muscle injuries in professional football players using high-intensity therapeutic modalities.

METHODS: A total of 120 professional football players aged ≥18 years diagnosed with grade 2a muscle injury were examined and divided into two groups. Patients in the comparison group received a standard medical rehabilitation program, whereas patients in the intervention group underwent treatment according to an author-designed rehabilitation program incorporating high-intensity physiotherapy methods (laser therapy and magnetic therapy). A comprehensive assessment of clinical, laboratory, instrumental, and functional parameters was performed, along with analysis of rehabilitation duration and injury recurrence rates.

RESULTS: A comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation programs for the treatment of lower limb muscle injuries revealed that overall treatment effectiveness was 91% in the intervention group and 84% in the comparison group. At the same time, the proportion of patients demonstrating a high level of treatment effectiveness was 46% in the intervention group, whereas high treatment effectiveness was achieved in only 24% of patients in the comparison group. In addition, in the group of athletes undergoing standard rehabilitation programs achieved target rehabilitation outcomes after a mean of 22.1 days, which was significantly longer (p <  0.05) than in athletes treated with the recommended medical rehabilitation program (17.7 days).

CONCLUSION: The use of medical rehabilitation programs incorporating high-intensity laser therapy and high-intensity magnetic therapy in professional athletes with lower limb muscle injuries increases overall rehabilitation effectiveness by 6% and remarkably alters the effectiveness structure, increasing the proportion of athletes achieving high treatment effectiveness by 22%. This approach accelerates return to professional sport and reduces the risk of injury recurrence.