The Effects of FIFA 11+ and Harmoknee Warm-Up Protocols on Flexibility, Vertical Jump and Shooting Speed in Female Football Players: A Comparative Study  
[PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sinop University, Sinop 57000, Turkiye; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (HLS); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.S.C. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (C.A. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.A.) [PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sinop University, Sinop 57000, Turkiye; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.S.C. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (C.A. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.A.) [PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sinop University, Sinop 57000, Turkiye; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (HLS); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.S.C. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (C.A. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.A.) [PERSON]  
2 Institute of Graduate Studies, Sinop University, Sinop 57000, Turkiye; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (FNAL); erkal@sinop. different warm-up protocols before competitions and training sessions [10,11]. Although pre-training or pre-match preparatory activities are generally referred to as warm-ups, the literature presents diverse definitions of warming up. Accordingly, warmed muscles exhibit greater flexibility and faster and stronger contractions; in contrast, insufficient warm-up increases vulnerability to injuries during intense training or matches [12]. In addition to minimizing injury risk, warming up aims to achieve optimal performance during training and competition, preparing the body for the activity demands [13]. While the necessity of a warm-up protocol before each training and match is widely accepted, there is limited scientific evidence on which type of warm-up is most effective. In the past, coaches primarily relied on trial-and-error and personal experience to devise warm-up routines; however, recent extensive research and technological advancements have introduced new and varied warm-up protocols in this field [14, 15, 16]. Consequently, coaches are now integrating novel warm-up strategies into their training and competition preparations. Warm-up programs may include various protocols and sport-specific approaches, emphasizing the importance of selecting effective and purpose-driven strategies [17]. FIFA 11+ [18] and Harmoknee [19] are two distinct training programs designed to reduce injury risks in young football players. Both programs are structured based on scientific evidence and best practices, targeting significant and modifiable risk factors for injury. These programs address deficiencies in strength, power, balance, speed, proprioception, and joint range of motion [20]. Despite their similarities, the FIFA 11+ warm-up protocol includes exercises focusing on core stabilization, dynamic stabilization, and glyometric training [21], whereas Harmoknee aims to achieve an optimized movement pattern that reduces stress on the knee joint [19]. Accordingly, they include running exercises and sport-specific dynamic movements, presenting a comprehensive approach to improving athletes' performance while mitigating injury risks [18, 19]. Cluster-randomized controlled trials have shown that FIFA 11+ effectively reduces lower extremity injury rates among young males [22, 23] and female players [24, 25, 26]. While the evidence base for Harmoknee is more limited compared to FIFA 11+, studies have still documented its effectiveness in lowering the occurrence of lower extremity injuries, especially knee injuries, among young female athletes [19]. Understanding the effects of FIFA 11+ and Harmoknee on physical performance could help identify the potential mechanisms behind the reduced frequency of injuries [27]. Some studies have explored the effects of both programs (particularly FIFA 11+) on specific neuromuscular performance measures, such as lower extremity balance [25, 28], core stability [27], knee proprioception [28], knee strength [26, 27, 28], and sprint and jump abilities [27, 28, 29, 30, 31], which are considered integral to athletic physical performance. However, there are few studies on both programs involving female football players. FIFA 11+ and Harmoknee warm-up protocols have both injury-preventive and performance-enhancing properties.