Clinical trial NCT06136299: Neuromuscular Training in Female Youth Soccer
Official title: Effect of Neuromuscular Training on Physical Performance and Injury Rate in Elite Female Youth Soccer Players
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Injury;Sports
Lead sponsor: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-11-18
Enrollment: 93
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 8
Maximum age (years): 11
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: There are two groups for this study. The control group performs their standard warm-up during soccer practice sessions and the experimental group performs neuromuscular training (NMT) in the form of the FIFA 11+ Kids program as their warm up.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to analyze the effectiveness of an NMT-based, injury prevention training program ('FIFA 11+ for Kids') in pre-adolescent (Ages 8 to 11) elite female soccer players by measuring neuromuscular control and motor coordination through pre-intervention and post-intervention testing. As well as monitoring the incidence of injury throughout a soccer season.

Detailed description: This study will recruit females aged between 8-11 from several teams within a large, competitive elite soccer club. Whole teams will be assigned to either the intervention group or an age-matched control group. Participants will be informed which group they will be placed in prior to participation in the research study. As directed by their respective coaches, the intervention group will receive neuromuscular training (NMT) through an already established, validated protocol (FIFA 11+ Kids); whilst the control group will perform their standard warm-up during soccer practice sessions. The program will last for the duration of the spring soccer season (January - May 2023; 5 months). All study participants will be required to attend two evaluation sessions (pre-intervention and post-intervention) in order to measure performance in speed, agility, hop testing, dynamic balance and strength.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Elite female soccer players aged 8-11.
* Member of an elite youth soccer club.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Female not aged 8-11 years old.
* Not a member of a youth soccer club.
* Unable to attend the pre-intervention or post-intervention evaluation, for reasons other than injury.
* Unable to attend 80% or more of scheduled training sessions.
* If a participant discontinues playing soccer they will be excluded.
* Declines to participate in study.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Dynamic balance assessment
timeFrame: Dynamic balance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
measure: Strength assessment
timeFrame: Strength will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
measure: Agility assessment
timeFrame: Agility will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
measure: Hop testing assessment
timeFrame: Hop performance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
measure: Kinetic jump testing assessment
timeFrame: Kinetic jump performance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Injury rates
timeFrame: Duration of spring soccer season, January - May (5 months).
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Houston
country: United States
facility: Houston Methodist Hospital
state: Texas
Study officials:
affiliation: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
name: Shari Liberman, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: