From 2005 to 2010, Dr. Ashkan Kiani led one one of the largest and most successful studies of it’s kind to evaluate the effectiveness of the Harmoknee program in preventing knee injuries among female soccer players aged 13 to 19 years.

The study involved 1506 female soccer players from 97 teams in two Swedish counties, which were divided into an intervention group and a control group.

The intervention group followed the Harmoknee program, combined with educational sessions for athletes, parents, and coaches to raise awareness of injury risks.

• The intervention group experienced a significantly lower incidence of knee injuries compared to the control group.
• Only 3 knee injuries occurred in the intervention group compared to 13 in the control group.

• The Harmoknee program was associated with a 77% reduction in overall knee injury incidence and a 90% reduction in non-contact knee injury incidence (80% of all knee injuries are non-contact).
• Injuries in the intervention group were less severe, and all injured players in this group regained full activity within 6 months.

The study concluded that implementing a multifaceted, soccer-specific exercise program significantly reduces the incidence of knee injuries in young female soccer players. The program is effective in improving motion patterns and muscle activation, which are crucial for injury prevention. The high adherence rate among participants suggests that the program is practical and can be easily integrated into regular soccer practice sessions.

The Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy have an ongoing effort to create evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management and prevention of musculoskeletal impairments described in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).

Clinical practice guidelines should be based on the best available evidence and include a statement about the strength of their recommendations. Evidence can be graded according to its level, quality, relevance, and strength.

The Harmoknee program has been given the top recommendation, Grade A, as Strong evidence according to JOSPT clinical practice guidelines.

According to the clinical practice guidelines by Arundale et al. (2023), Harmoknee is highly recommended for its effectiveness in preventing both general knee injuries and ACL injuries. The guidelines emphasize that consistent implementation of the Harmoknee program can significantly reduce injury rates, especially in female athletes and those involved in high-risk sports. This recommendation is based on strong evidence supporting the program’s efficacy.