Neuromuscular Training in Female Youth Soccer (NMT)

Effect of Neuromuscular Training on Physical Performance and Injury Rate in Elite Female Youth Soccer Players

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Injury;Sports
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Neuromuscular Training

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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 93
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • Houston Methodist Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

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.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control - Standard warm-up; This group performed a standard warm-up protocol during their soccer practice sessions.
Experimental: Intervention - NMT; This group performed a specific Neuromuscular Training (NMT) warm-up program known as FIFA 11+ Kids during their soccer practice sessions	Other: Neuromuscular Training; This intervention uses the FIFA 11+ Kids program as a warm-up during soccer practice sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dynamic balance assessment	The Y-balance test is a standardized protocol consisting of lower extremity reach in the anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral directions.	Dynamic balance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
Strength assessment	Hamstring and quadriceps strength will be measured using a handheld dynamometer. Each strength measure will be taken 3 times with the average calculated.	Strength will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
Agility assessment	The Pro-Agility Test utilizes three cones. The farthest cone is sprinted to, the ground is touched with one hand and direction changed back to the starting cone (9.1m sprint). The ground is touched at the starting cone, direction is changed to the 'middle cone' into a 4.6m sprint. Passing the 'middle cone' is the finish line for the test. Each strength measure will be taken 3 times with the average calculated.	Agility will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
Hop testing assessment	Participants will complete a single leg hop, triple hop and a timed 6 meter hop	Hop performance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).
Kinetic jump testing assessment	A countermovement jump and a single leg vertical jump on a force plate platform system.	Kinetic jump performance will be measured at two separate timepoints: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (within 5-months after baseline measures).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Injury rates	Injury information provided by coaches and/or parents throughout the spring soccer season.	Duration of spring soccer season, January - May (5 months).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Shari Liberman, MD, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 7, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 20, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): May 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 14, 2023
• First Posted (Estimated): November 17, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 17, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 14, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Athletic Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00036803

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No