The Effect of Neuroathletic Training in Cross-country Skiers

March 4, 2025 updated by: Nurcan Contarli, Karabuk University

The Effect of Neuroathletic Training on Physical Performance and Position Sense in Cross-country Skiers

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of neuro-athletic training on physical performance and position sense in cross-country skiers.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Cross-country skiing is the least dangerous but tiring winter sport performed in snowy environments with different heights, distances, and slopes using ski equipment such as skis, shoes, and poles with various features. In this sport, both the lower and upper body require rapid power production and high maximal oxygen consumption. When technique, conditioning, and skill are combined in cross-country skiing, the resulting performance reaches the highest level. In order for an athlete to perform well, they must have the capacity to produce power continuously and quickly. Cross-country skiing is often associated with the development of strength, speed, agility, balance, endurance, fatigue resistance, and oxygen capacity. Physical training alone is not enough for an athlete to achieve high success. Physical training must be combined with the visual system, vestibular system, and proprioceptive system. The quality of the stimuli coming from these systems in an athlete positively affects the athlete's physical performance and success in competitions. Therefore, in addition to the physical training that the athlete will do, neuro-athletic training that stimulates the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems will be implemented in the cross-country skiing sports branch, considering that it can increase the athlete's performance by improving muscle strength, core endurance, balance, and proprioceptive sense. The sample of the study will consist of 26 cross-country skiing athletes between the ages of 12-18 who participate in training at the Arkut Cross-Country and Biathlon Center. The athletes will be randomly divided into 2 groups by coin toss method. All athletes will participate in routine training. Neuroathletic training will be given to one group in addition to routine training, and its effect on the athletes' performance will be examined.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

28

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey
      • Bolu, Turkey
        • Arkut Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have been cross-country skiing for at least 3 years and regularly participate in training
  • Be a volunteer
  • Complete a Trail Making Test

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have had lower extremity surgery in the last 2 years
  • Have no neurological or orthopedic disorders

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Conventional Training
Conventional training includes flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, running, balance and sport-specific technique work 5 days per week.
Other: Conventional training
Conventional training includes flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, running, balance and sport-specific technique work 5 days per week.
Experimental: Neuro athletic training
Conventional training includes flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, running, balance, and sport-specific technique work 5 days per week.Neuro athletic training includes exercises that stimulate the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. The neuroathletic training includes 3 days per week for 8 weeks.
Other: Conventional training
Conventional training includes flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, running, balance and sport-specific technique work 5 days per week.
Other: Neuro athletic training
The neuroathletic training includes exercises that stimulate the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. The neuroathletic training includes 3 days per week for 8 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Knee Joint Position Sense
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Knee joint position sense will be measured using the passive-active repositioning method with a digital inclinometer.
8 weeks
Dynamic balance
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Dynamic balance will be evaluated with the Y balance test.
8 weeks
Muscle strength
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Knee flexion and extension isometric muscle strength will be measured with a handheld dynamometer.
8 weeks
Trunk Flexion Endurance Test
Time Frame: 8 weeks
The time that athletes can maintain a stance with their trunk at 60° flexion and their hips and knees at 90° flexion will be measured with a stopwatch.
8 weeks
Side Bridge Endurance Test
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Athletes will be asked to perform a side bridge in a side-lying position, with legs extended, one foot in front of the other, the body in a straight line, with the elbow joint flexed on the same side, supported by the forearm. The time they can maintain this position will be recorded with a stopwatch.
8 weeks
Slalom Test
Time Frame: 8 weeks
For this test, 6 cones will be placed on a 12-meter track at 2-meter intervals. Athletes were asked to run between the cones at maximum speed and the elapsed time will be recorded with a stopwatch.
8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Karabuk University

Investigators

  • Study Director: Necmiye UnYildirim Professor, PhD, Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi
  • Study Director: Caglar Soylu Assistant Professor, PhD, Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 16, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 16, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2025

Last Verified

March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • KarabukUniv-FTR

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

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Subscribe