Abstract
Given the general prevalence and consequences of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in international football, a non-experimental quantitative observational study was designed to explore locally contextualised risk factors and injury outcomes among top tier male players in Malta. The repeated tuck jump assessment was selected as a convenient, unobtrusive and field-based primary data collection instrument for non-clinical assessment of neuromuscular and other risk factors, among a sample of 27 local premier league players. A final tally of 44.44% of the participants eventually exceeded a predetermined field test cut-off score, indicating the need for definitive preventive measures locally. There were no significant differences in scores between players of different teams, playing positions, preferred shoe brand, or dominant foot, further indicating a generally systemic nature to local risk factor exposure. The most frequently observed neuromuscular deficits were, specifically, trunk dominance and leg dominance, providing a clear indication of how future interventions or programmes in Malta might actually be structured and prioritised.
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