Comparison of soccer shin guards in preventing tibia fracture

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a number of shin guards in protecting against tibia fracture in soccer players. A secondary purpose was to determine the relationship between the material and structural differences in shin guard design and the protection provided. Twenty-three commercially available shin guards were tested on a model leg containing a synthetic tibia that had been calibrated against human cadaver specimens. Each guard was categorized into one of four material types: plastic (N = 9), fiberglass (N = 6), compressed air (N = 4), and Kevlar (N = 4). The maximum combined force at the ends of the tibia, the principal strain on the posterior side of the tibia, and the contact time of the impact were measured using a drop track impact simulation. Shin guards provided significant protection from tibia fracture at all drop heights. The average guard reduced force by 11% to 17% and strain by 45% to 51% compared with the unguarded leg. At the higher drop heights, material composition and structural characteristics of the shin guards showed significant differences in protective abilities. These findings indicate that all shin guards provide some measure of protection against tibia fracture, although the level of protection may vary significantly among the different guards.     

The unreamed intramedullary tibial nail in tibial shaft fractures of soccer players: a prospective study

Lower leg fractures are common and complex injuries in soccer players. Twenty-five mainly recreational soccer players who sustained a tibial shaft fracture were treated with the AO-UTN (Unreamed Tibial Nail). This prospective series included 25 males with a mean age of 28.1 years. These patients were prospectively followed for a mean period of 4.7 years. Clinical and radiographic data was collected. In addition, 20 patients completed an outcomes based questionnaire. In all but one case, the mechanism of injury was a contact with an opposing player. Shin guards provided little prevention against these fractures. The majority of these tibial shaft fractures were consistent with a short oblique or transverse fracture pattern. All fractures were stabilized with the UTN on the day of injury. Four patients had concurrent compartment syndromes and underwent a fasciotomy. Average time until bony consolidation was 11.3 weeks. No patients returned to competitive soccer activities earlier than five months after the initial injury (average 9.5). Only 11 out of 20 soccer players returned to the same level of sporting activity. Six patients never returned to playing soccer again after this injury, even without complications. The fracture of the tibial shaft in soccer players is a severe injury that can be treated safely with the UTN without major complications, but nevertheless only 50% of a mainly-recreational playing population return to the same competitive level as before the injury.     

A retrospective injury analysis of state representative female soccer players

Objectives: A 5-year retrospective injury survey was conducted with 45 female elite soccer players from the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), to record the anatomical distribution, diagnosis and incidence of injury and identify possible risk factors in elite female soccer players at the QAS from 1993–1998. Methods: Data were gathered from medical, physiological, coaches and team managers' records. Results: The study recorded 239 injuries. Incidence of injury was highest in 1994 (12·2 per 1000 h) and lowest in 1995 (5·0 per 1000 h). Athletic exposure almost doubled between 1994 and 1995. Incidence of injury per 1000 athletic exposure hours decreased from 12·2 to 5 between 1994 and 1995. The leg accounted for 81·5% of all injuries and 52% of injuries involved the foot, ankle and shin. Strains (35%) and sprains (31%) were the most common diagnoses. Most injuries were of a mild nature (61%), with major injuries accounting for 19% of total injuries over the period 1993–1998. The most common major injuries were stress fractures (29%), with tibial stress fractures being the most common type. Injuries to the ankle, shin or both these areas were sustained by 66% of players. Seventy-six percent of ankle injuries and 100% of shin injuries were recurrent. Twenty-two percent of players had both ankle and shin injuries, in 90% of cases ankle injury was sustained before the shin injury. Conclusions: Ankle and shin were the most common injury in this group of high performance female soccer players with high recurrence. Incidence of injury may be related to athletic exposure.     

Stress fracture of the tibia in athletes: diagnosis and natural course

The natural course of 46 stress fractures of the tibia were studied in relation to sports activity, diagnosis and treatment in 28 recreational athletes and 13 elite athletes. Two major types of stress fractures were observed. Thirty athletes sustained a posteriomedial fracture of the tibia and claimed a sudden onset of exertional pain. The initial symptoms occurred during running or orienteering ( n = 19), soccer ( n = 4), workout or dancing ( n = 3), triathlon, basketball, badminton and tennis (one each) and were similarity distributed between left and right leg. Scintigraphs showed Zwas type I/II lesions, while X-rays were negative in most cases. The patients were treated only with restriction in sports activities. The fractures healed within 8–24 weeks with excellent or good results. The remaining 11 athletes had anterior margin stress fractures with a slow onset of exertional pain and a long delay in diagnosis. These injuries occurred in 4 long-distance runners, 2 handball players, 2 dancers, 1 volleyball player, 1 triathloner and 1 decathloner. They were located in the nondominant left leg (in three cases bilateral). The fractures showed Zwas I or II lesions on scintigrams, but differed from the posteriomedial injuries on the typical V-shape appearence on X-ray. The patients had conservative treatment, including immobility and restriction in sports activities. Four of the patients were operated when not symptom-free after 12–34 months. All elite athletes ( n = 5) in this group had to interrupt then-elite carreer. At follow up 24–60 months after the initial symptoms, only 1 patient was symptom-free. Thus, posteriomedial tibial stress fractures show a sudden onset and benign natural course, while anterior stress fractures should be treated with caution. The use of bone scintigraphy should be emphasized early when an athlete presents with exertional lower leg pain.     

Functional management of stress fractures in female athletes using a pneumatic leg brace

Thirteen consecutive female athletes complaining of activity-induced lower extremity pain were evaluated. Ten of the 13 athletes had either an x-ray film or bone scan positive for stress fracture of the tibia or fibula. Three athletes with classic signs and symptoms of tibial stress fractures and negative x-ray films refused the bone scan. Three athletes had bilateral tibial stress fractures. The athletes were treated by the application of a pneumatic leg brace to the affected leg or legs. Following this, all 13 athletes were able to return to their sport and participate at a high level of competition with little or no symptoms.     

99mTc-MDP bone SPECT in evaluation of the knee in asymptomatic soccer players

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate stress fractures in leg (particularly around the knee, tibia, and femur) and knee pathology in active asymptomatic (no symptoms in the preceding month) soccer players. METHOD: The study included 42 asymptomatic soccer players (21 women, 21 men; age range 19-31 years). Players from seven teams in the major female professional and amateur male soccer leagues were examined by technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP) bone scintigraphy during the soccer season. Four hours after intravenous injection of 20 mCi (99m)Tc-MDP, standard imaging included anterior planar spot images of the legs, lateral images of the knee, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). RESULTS: Although the players were asymptomatic, increased tracer uptake, indicating stress fracture, was found in 28 (66%). Most of the stress fractures were in the tibia (62%) and femur (5%). In the 42 subjects (84 legs), 35 sites (42%) showed rupture of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus and bone bruising of the tibial plateau, 16 sites (19%) showed rupture of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus, 11 sites (13%) showed bone bruising of the lateral femoral condyle, eight sites (10%) showed bone bruising of the medial femoral condyle, and there was avulsion injury to the infrapatellar tendon insertion in the anterior tibia in 34 sites (40%). There were 11 anterior cruciate ligament injuries. CONCLUSION: Bone SPECT is very accurate, easy to perform, cost effective, may give valuable information before magnetic resonance imaging studies in the detection of meniscal tears, and may be used successfully when magnetic resonance imaging is unavailable.     

The anterior stress fracture of the tibia: an atrophic pseudoarthosis?

Histopathological examination of biopsies from the fracture site in two cases of anterior stress fractures of the tibia demonstrated no bone remodelling activity, absence of inflammatory cells, extensive fibrotic infiltration and local avascular bone necrosis. The biopsies were taken peroperatively from two elite soccer players who earlier had to stop training due to severe exertional pain. When non-operative treatment failed to heal the fractures within 1 year and 6 months, respectively, surgery was performed in order to stabilize the fractures. Both subjects were relieved from exertional pain within 6 months of surgery. Consecutive radiographs showed the pattern of direct healing and 8 months postoperatively confirmed complete healing without callus formation. Both elite soccer players returned to pre-injury activity level. We suggest that the excessive fibrotic tissue ingrowth and hypovascularity under repetitive stress causes the delayed healing and histopathological signs similar to an atrophic pseudoarthosis. Treatment should consequently consider the pseudoarthrotic character of the anterior stress fracture of the tibia.     

Soccer injuries and their mechanisms: a prospective study

In order to study the incidence and mechanisms of injury in soccer and to recommend prophylactic measures, 180 players in a senior male soccer division were followed prospectively for 1 yr. Attendance records for games and practice sessions were kept, and all injuries were examined and treated by the same orthopaedic surgeon. One hundred twenty-four players incurred 256 injuries, mostly sprains and strains of the lower extremities. Of these, 62% were considered minor with ankle sprains being the most common (17%), while 11% were considered major with knee ligament sprains being the most frequent (32%). Overuse injuries were most frequent in the preseason training period. Traumatic leg injuries involved players with inadequate or no shin guards. Of the traumatic knee injuries, 11 of 18 (61%) occurred during a collision; non-contact knee injuries were frequently seen in those players with a history of knee injury and existing instability. Study of injury sequence disclosed that a minor injury was often followed within two months by a major one. In addition, with severe injuries incurred during fouls, the individual causing the penalty was injured. This prospective study suggested that those with knee instability and those allowed to resume play with poorly rehabilitated or clinically unhealed injuries are more apt to sustain further injury. Some injuries can be avoided by using better equipment and by observance of the rules.     

Score-celebration injuries among soccer players: a report of 9 cases

BACKGROUND: Professional and amateur soccer players often perform dramatic on-field feats of celebration after scoring a goal. Injuries may occur during these activities. PURPOSE: With the aim of preventing such "score-celebration injuries" in the future, the authors examine these events in professional soccer players and discuss potential avenues for prevention. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Over the course of 2 seasons (1996-1998), 152 soccer players were evaluated at an orthopaedic clinic for injuries incurred during matches. Nine players (6%) had injured themselves while celebrating after scoring goals in a match. The type of celebration, injury type, treatment, and mean duration of recovery were noted. RESULTS: Seven of the 9 patients were male professional soccer players with ages ranging between 17 and 29 years (mean age, 24 years). The injuries occurred when the playing ground was natural turf in 8 cases; most injuries occurred in the second half of the game. The types of celebration maneuvers were sliding (prone or supine) and sliding while kneeling in 5 cases, piling up on jubilant teammates in 3 cases, and being tackled while racing away in 1 case. Injuries included ankle, clavicle, and rib fractures; medial collateral ligament sprain; low back strain; hamstring and adductor muscle strain; quadriceps muscle sprain; and coccyx contusion. The mean duration for recovery was 6.2 weeks. Rival team players were usually not responsible for such trauma. CONCLUSION: Exaggerated celebrations after making a goal, such as sliding, piling up, and tackling a teammate when racing away, can result in serious injury. In addition to general measures for preventing soccer injuries, coaches and team physicians should teach self-control and behavior modification to minimize the risk of such injuries. More restrictive rules, which penalize such behavior, may assist in the prevention of score-celebration injuries.     

Stress fracture of the proximal fibula in a young soccer player: a case report and a review of the literature.

A 14-yr-old soccer player complained of a history of leg pain with activity that had been present for several weeks. There was no history of direct trauma. Tenderness was found over the lateral aspect of the leg, and radiographs showed an area of calcification along the shaft of the proximal fibula. Because of the unusual location of the findings and to exclude a tumor, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained which confirmed the diagnosis of a proximal fibular stress fracture. The patient returned to full sport participation with a period of relative rest, splinting, and strengthening and flexibility training. This case describes an injury that has not been reported in young athletes and only rarely described in active adults. The literature regarding this injury is reviewed, and two injury patterns of proximal fibular stress fractures are described.     

Stress fractures in athletes. A study of 320 cases

We analyzed cases of 320 athletes with bone scan-positive stress fractures (M = 145, F = 175) seen over 3.5 years and assessed the results of conservative management. The most common bone injured was the tibia (49.1%), followed by the tarsals (25.3%), metatarsals (8.8%), femur (7.2%), fibula (6.6%), pelvis (1.6%), sesamoids (0.9%), and spine (0.6%). Stress fractures were bilateral in 16.6% of cases. A significant age difference among the sites was found, with femoral and tarsal stress fractures occurring in the oldest, and fibular and tibial stress fractures in the youngest. Running was the most common sport at the time of injury but there was no significant difference in weekly running mileage and affected sites. A history of trauma was significantly more common in the tarsal bones. The average time to diagnosis was 13.4 weeks (range, 1 to 78) and the average time to recovery was 12.8 weeks (range, 2 to 96). Tarsal stress fractures took the longest time to diagnose and recover. Varus alignment was found frequently, but there was no significant difference among the fracture sites, and varus alignment did not affect time to diagnosis or recovery. Radiographs were taken in 43.4% of cases at the time of presentation but were abnormal in only 9.8%. A group of bone scan-positive stress fractures of the tibia, fibula, and metatarsals (N = 206) was compared to a group of clinically diagnosed stress fractures of the same bone groups (N = 180), and no significant differences were found. Patterns of stress fractures in athletes are different from those found in military recruits. Using bone scan for diagnosis indicates that tarsal stress fractures are much more common than previously realized. Time to diagnosis and recovery is site-dependent. Technetium99 bone scan is the single most useful diagnostic aid. Conservative treatment of stress fractures in athletes is satisfactory in the majority of cases.     

Athletes'' leg pains.

The frequency and nature of exertion pains of the leg in athletes were studied in 2,750 cases of overuse injuries treated at the Sports Clinic of the Deaconess Institute of Oulu, Finland, during the years 1972-1977. 465 cases of exertion pain (18%) were located in the shin. The medial tibial syndrome was the most common overuse injury among these athletes, comprising 9.5% of all exertion injuries and 60% of the leg exertion pains. Together with stress fracture of the tibia, the second most common exertion pain of the leg, it accounted for 75% of the total leg pains. There are certain difficulties in differentiating between the medial tibial syndrome and stress fracture of the tibia. They both occur at the same site with similar symptoms. Radiological examination and isotope scanning are needed. The medial tibial syndrome is an overuse injury at the medial tibial border caused by running exercises. The pain is elicited by exertional ischaemia. The pathogenesis is explained by increased pressure in the fascial compartment of the deep flexor muscles due to prolonged exercise. Similar chronic ischaemic pains from exercise are also found in other fascial compartments of the leg, especially in the anterior compartment. The only treatment needed for stress fractures is rest from training. Fascial compartment pains also usually subside. If chronic fascial syndromes prevent training, fasciotomy is recommended as a reliable method to restore the athlete to normal training without pains.     

The impact of proximal fibula fractures in the prognosis of tibial plateau fractures: a novel classification

Fifty-five patients who presented with the complaint of tibia plateau fractures between January 1998 and November 2001 were retrospectively evaluated. The evaluation was based on their treatment modality. Twenty-five conservatively-treated patients (group 1) and 30 surgically-treated patients (group 2) were evaluated. In group 1, seven patients with proximal fibula fractures had lateral hamstring tightness. Five out of these seven patients had concomitant lateral knee pain. Similarly, nine patients with proximal fibula fractures in group 2 had lateral hamstring tightness, and seven patients in the same group suffered from lateral knee pain. The patients with no fibula proximal fracture in both groups had no hamstring tightness or lateral knee pain. The proximal fibula in the knee joint and its anatomical structures are of utmost importance for the anatomical integrity of the knee and its normal functions. The fibula has rich anatomical relations, some of which are important structures of the knee. These anatomical structures and the fibula provide stability of the knee joint and its functions as well as being an important mechanical support to the knee joint. Therefore, the knee joint will receive the negative effects from the pathologies of the bone or soft tissue that may occur in fibula fractures.     

中长跑和芭蕾舞运动中胫骨应力骨折的比较

胫骨应力骨折（ＳＦ）在芭蕾舞和中长跑运动员中均有一定发病率，作者调查某部新兵２６５人每日５０００米跑步，其胫骨应力骨折病发率为１１．６８％（３１／２６５人），骨折部位多在胫骨中段中后侧。芭蕾舞演员胫骨应力骨折病发率为８％（１５／６０人），骨折部位在胫骨下段前侧。应用新鲜尸体标本作负荷下胫骨多处的应变测定模拟跑步和足跟垫高模仿芭蕾舞时下肢负重位置的应变变化，分别于胫骨中段后侧测得有高压应力和胫骨下段前方有高张应力，此结果与调查中Ｘ线片病变部位相符。作者认为不同的运动使负重时胫骨所处姿势各不相同，而造成胫骨最大应力集中点位置各异，是造成芭蕾舞运动和中长跑运动中应力骨折部位不同的主要原因，预防和治疗工作应根据各自的应力性质和集中点部位来进行防治。     

Comparing spondylolysis in cricketers and soccer players

Objective: To determine whether the location of spondylolysis in the lumbar spine of athletes differs with biomechanical factors.

Methods: Single photon emission computerised tomography and reverse gantry computerised tomography were used to investigate 42 cricketers and 28 soccer players with activity related low back pain. Sites of increased scintigraphic uptake in the posterior elements of the lumbar spine and complete or incomplete fracture in the pars interarticularis were compared for these two sports.

Results: Thirty seven (90.4%) cricketers and 23 (82.1%) soccer players studied had sites of increased uptake. In cricketers, these sites were on the left of the neural arch of 49 lumbar vertebrae and on the right of 33 vertebrae. In soccer players there was a significantly different proportion, with 17 sites on the left and 28 on the right (difference of 22.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04 to 0.38). Lower lumbar levels showed increased scintigraphic uptake more frequently than did higher levels, although the trend was reversed at L3 and L4 in soccer. Forty spondylolyses were identified in the lumbar vertebrae of the cricketers and 35 spondylolyses in the soccer players. These comprised 26 complete and 14 incomplete fractures in the cricketers, and 25 complete and 10 incomplete fractures in the soccer players. Similar numbers of incomplete fractures were found either side of the neural arch in soccer players, but there were more incomplete fractures in the left pars (14) than in the right (2) in cricketers. The proportion of incomplete fractures either side of the neural arch was significantly different between cricket players and soccer players (difference of 37.5%; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.65). Most complete fractures were at L5 (66.7%) and more were found at L3 (15.7%) than L4 (6.9%). However, incomplete fractures were more evenly spread though the lower three lumbar levels with 41.7% at L5, 37.5% at L4, and 20.8% at L3.

Conclusions: Fast bowling in cricket is associated with pars interarticularis bone stress response and with development of incomplete stress fractures that occur more frequently on the left than the right. Playing soccer is associated with a more symmetrical distribution of bone stress response, including stress fracturing. Within cricketers, unilateral spondylolyses tend to arise on the contralateral side to the bowling arm.

     

Medial tibial stress fracture diagnosis and treatment guidelines

ObjectivesTo validate and make evidence based changes to the Israel Defense Forces medial tibial stress fracture diagnosis and treatment protocol.DesignProspective cohort study.Methods429 Elite infantry recruits were reviewed for signs and symptoms of medial tibial stress fracture during 14 weeks of basic training. Suspicion of medial tibial stress fracture was based on the presence of pain, tenderness <1/3 the length of the tibia and a positive fulcrum and/or hop test. Recruits with suspected medial tibial stress fractures were initially treated with 10–14 days of rest. Bone scan was performed only when recruits failed to respond to the rest regimen or required immediate diagnosis.Results31 Out of 49 recruits with a suspicion of medial tibial stress fracture underwent bone scan, including 8/26 recruits whose symptoms did not resolve after being treated clinically as stress fractures. There was a significantly greater incidence of medial tibial stress fractures when a positive hop test was present in addition to tibial pain and tenderness (p = 0.0001), odds ratio 52.04 (95% CL, 2.80–967.74). Medial tibial stress fracture was found to occur when the band of tibial tenderness was ≤10 cm in length. Tibial pain scores were not predictive of stress fracture.ConclusionsThis validation study provides the clinician with evidence based guidelines for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of medial stress fractures and their differentiation from shin splints. An initial treatment protocol without the use of imaging was found to be effective in more than two-thirds of the cases.     

Nontraumatic femur fracture in an oligomenorrheic athlete.

Exercise-associated amenorrhea is the cessation of menses in a woman following onset of training or an increase in training intensity. Its physiologic basis is characterized by consistently low levels of gonadotropin and ovarian hormones, but the underlying cause of this phenomenon is unknown. Although osteopenia has been described in amenorrheic women athletes, it has been primarily a laboratory diagnosis. Several recent studies have described a significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine of amenorrheic athletes. Marcus et al. also reported an increased number of metatarsal and tibial stress fractures in a group of amenorrheic women. We report here the first case of a nontraumatic femur fracture in an amenorrheic athlete. A 32-yr-old white female, with four prior fibular stress fractures, suffered a left femoral shaft fracture during the 13th mile of a half-marathon. The fracture was successfully internally fixed. Biochemical studies showed no metabolic abnormality. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, tibia, and fibula were below the mean for both eumenorrheic and amenorrheic female athletes. Exercise-associated amenorrhea is a medical problem that may have serious implications for both competitive and high-intensity recreational female athletes.     

Physical fitness, injuries, and team performance in soccer

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between physical fitness and team success in soccer, and to test for differences in physical fitness between different player positions. METHODS: Participants were 306 male soccer players from 17 teams in the two highest divisions in Iceland. Just before the start of the 1999 soccer season, the following variables were tested: height and weight, body composition, flexibility, leg extension power, jump height, and peak O2 uptake. Injuries and player participation in matches and training were recorded through the 4-month competitive season. Team average physical fitness was compared with team success (final league standing) using a linear regression model. Physical fitness was also compared between players in different playing positions. RESULTS: A significant relationship was found between team average jump height (countermovement jump and standing jump) and team success (P = 0.009 and P = 0.012, respectively). The same trend was also found for leg extension power (P = 0.097), body composition (% body fat, P = 0.07), and the total number of injury days per team (P = 0.09). Goalkeepers demonstrated different fitness characteristics from outfield players. They were taller and heavier, more flexible in hip extension and knee flexion, and had higher leg extension power and a lower peak O2 uptake. However, only minor differences were observed between defenders, midfield players, and attackers. CONCLUSION: Coaches and medical support teams should pay more attention to jump and power training, as well as preventive measures and adequate rehabilitation of previous injuries to increase team success.     

损伤控制骨科理念在Gustilo Ⅲ型胫腓骨骨折治疗中的应用

 目的 探讨应用损伤控制骨科（damage control orthopaedics, DCO）理念对GustiloⅢ型胫腓骨 骨折的患者进行手术治疗并评估其临床疗效。 方法 2006-01至2010-12应用DCO救治56例GustiloⅢ型胫腓骨骨 折患者,其中ⅢA型骨折19例,ⅢB型骨折32例,ⅢC型骨折5例。所有患者先行抗休克治疗、彻底清创、外固定架复位固定骨 折,以及应用VSD覆盖创面。经ICU复苏后,如软组织情况好,尽早实行确定性手术。 结果 56例全部获得随访 ,随访时间12~27个月,平均16.8个月。骨折一期愈合53例（94.6%）,延迟愈合3例（5.4%）,无骨髓炎及骨不连等并发症。 患肢功能按照Johner-Wruhs疗效分析法,优26例,良24例,中4例,差2例,优良率89.3%。 结论 对GustiloⅢ 型胫腓骨骨折伴有失血性休克和伴有（或）不伴有颅脑、胸腹部损伤的患者应用DCO理论指导手术治疗,疗效满意。骨折早期 治疗强调外固定支架快速适当复位固定骨折,彻底清创及应用VSD覆盖创面。     

Break dance significantly increases static balance in 9 years-old soccer players

Static balance in young athletes is an important ability that has a relevant influence on their present and future sport performances, as well as on the reduction in risk of injury. The present study reports data collected on three homogeneous groups of 9 years-old athletes (n=10 for each group), whose static balance was monitored every two months during an overall period of six months. At the beginning of the study, all of the children in each of the three groups were performing soccer activity with a frequency (three times a week) that was kept constant during the observation period. During the six months, group 1 maintained only the soccer activity, group 2 also performed swimming activity (twice a week) in parallel with the soccer activity, while group 3 started, at month 2, to perform soccer activity with a break dance course (twice a week). Double leg stance (with eyes open and closed) and single leg stance (on dominant and non-dominant leg) tests were performed using a force platform, and the COP area calculated for each trial. Results show a clear decrease in the "soccer+break dance" players COP area values during the six months, suggesting an improvement in their static balance. The difference was significantly greater with respect to that of soccer players and "soccer+swimming" players. This was evident in all the tests performed starting from two months after the break dance activity began.