Could specific exercises based on a movement screen prevent injuries in adolescent elite athletes?

The primary aim of this study was to explore if specific exercises based on the nine test screening battery (9SB) reduce short-term and seasonal injury occurrence in adolescent elite athletes. Youth elite sports. Prospective intervention study over 1-year. Adolescent elite athletes (n = 216) in age 15–20 from seven different sports. Seasonal/short-term injury incidence and seasonal substantial/injury prevalence was obtained via weekly surveys completed by study participants. There was a significant (p = 0.036) difference in the seasonal substantial injury prevalence across number of times the exercises were performed (exercise category), where athletes performing the exercises ≥4 times/week reported significantly (p = 0.048) higher seasonal substantial injury prevalence compared to athletes completing the exercises once a week (median 15.4 vs 0%, r = 0.25). No statistically significant difference in injury incidence (p = 0.429) or seasonal injury prevalence (p = 0.171) was found across exercise category. Performing the exercises once a day compared to not at all did not reduce the short-term risk of new injury or substantial injury. Our results provide supporting evidence that completing specific exercises based on the 9SB have no group effect on short-term or seasonal injury occurrence in adolescent elite athletes. •Performing specific exercises based on the nine screening battery resulted in no reduced injury risk across a season.•The short-term risk of new injury was not reduced by performing the exercises once a day compared to not at all.•Until we know which athletes will benefit, prescribing exercises based on the nine screening battery is not recommended.