Evaluation of Physical Performance and Functional Asymmetries in Female Football

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Worldwide, soccer has grown increasingly popular among female players. According to the Women´s Football Survey of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), there were more than 30 million registered women soccer players in 2014. Elite female soccer players cover approximately a total distance of 10 km with 1.7 km completed at high-speed (>18 km/h-1), between 1350 and 1650 changes of activity like passing, dribbling, tackling and trapping and 5.1 and 31.2 repeated sprinting and high intensity bouts, respectively. Thus, it seems that those strategies addressed to improve such high-intensity activities should be considered a priority for female soccer players. Different training methods to improve soccer specific variables have been developed such as, high-intensity interval training, resisted sprint training, strength training or plyometric training. Whilst individual training interventions have been shown to produce enhancements in measures of athletic performance for soccer players, there is a paucity of studies looking at the effectiveness of strength and power training specifically on performance measures in female soccer populations. Unilateral strength asymmetry can be a risk factor of musculoskeletal injuries. In recent years, inter-limb asymmetries have been included in battery tests performed by different soccer clubs due to their relation with lower-limb injuries. Few studies have analysed the change of an intervention on inter-limb asymmetry in female soccer players, hence, more studies for this population are warranted. The main aim of this research project is therefore, to evaluate the effect of a physical intervention on the performance and inter-limb asymmetries of female soccer players.

Official Title
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Evaluación Del Rendimiento físico y asimetrías Funcionales en el fútbol Femenino

Conditions
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Resistance Training, Inter-limb Asymmetries, Athletic Performance

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Strength training program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Caucasian, Healthy participant, from 12 to 20 years old, with a history of training at least 3 years. Exclusion Criteria: Non-caucasian, injury.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 20 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental group<br>Female soccers that perform a strength training | Other: Strength training program<br>* Strength training program in female soccer players<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group<br>Female soccers that do not perform a strength training | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jumping in centimeters | Jumping height was assessed using a vertical countermovement jump, drop jump and standing broad jump with flight. | Change from baseline in jumping height at 12 weeks | 
| Velocity in seconds | Running speed was evaluated by a 40-m sprint time (standing start) with 10-m, 20-m, 30-m split times. | Change from baseline in velocity at 12 weeks | 
| Change of direction in seconds | Change of direction ability was assessed by 180º change of direction and V-cut tests. | Change from Baseline in change of direction at 12 weeks | 
| Inter-limb asymmetry in % | Inter-limb asymmetry was calculated using the following formula : Inter-limb asymmetry = 100/Max Value (right and left)*Min Value (right and left)*-1+100. | Change from Baseline in inter-limb asymmetry at 12 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Soccer, Female, Lower limb asymmetries, Strength