Introduction: The lower-extremity injuries are the most common body area injury (73%) and resulted in the greatest number of games missed (88%) in the WNBA from 2015 to 2019. Torn ACL is the most devastating injuries (9.2%) and resulting in the greatest number of games missed (28%), also knee injuries carried the most long-term impact on games missed due to injury. The most common mechanism of ACL injury in basketball is non-contact and MKD is the key risk factor of these injuries, so that 88% can predict ACL injury in female athletes. The SMBT is one of the successful lower extremity injury prevention protocols in the female basketball Athletes. But its effect on athletic performance in female adolescent basketball athletes’ whit MKD has not been studied. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of SMBT on athletic performance in female adolescent basketball athletes with MKD. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial the study subjects consist of 24 female adolescent basketball athletes with MKD. The subjects were randomly placed into two groups (TG: Training Group, n=15, age:15.4±1.2 years, weight 54.5±5.5 kg, height 161.6±5.9 cm, BMI 20.82±1.2 kg/m2, and experience 4.27±1.03 years, and CG: Control Group, n=15, age:16.06±1.3 years, weight 56.7±4.8 kg, height 162.6±4.1 cm, BMI 21.4±1.0 kg/ m2, and experience 4.67±1.04 years). The TG participated in 18 sessions of the SMBT program during 6 weeks. assessment’s included Double Leg Squat (DLS), and athletic performance test (Y balance test, vertical jump height test, 40m sprint test, illinois agility test). In order to analyze the statistical data, the ANCOVA test in significant level of P≤0.05 was used. Results: The results of the ANCOVA showed that TG experienced significant improvements in athletic performance such as increased total Y balance test (P=0.01, from 88/8 to 95/6), increased vertical jump height (P=0.02, from 26/7 to 29/2 cm), reduced 40m sprint records (P=0.04, from 6/1 to 5/7s), reduced Illinois agility records (P=0.01, from 19/1 to 17/7s). Therefore, 18 sessions SMBT increased athletic performance in the TG. Conclusion: The SMBT is a specialized basketball neuromuscular training designed to prevention knee injuries in female basketball players. Base on literature the MKD is the key risk factor of knee injuries, and also resulted in weakness in athletic performance. Therefore, participation in SMBT is recommended for female adolescent basketball athletes whit MKD because it is effective in both preventing injuries and significant improvement athletic performance.
