Warm-Up Phases and Neuromuscular Performance

Effects of Muscle Warm-Up Phases on Proprioception, Vertical Jump, Agility, and Balance in Professional Youth Soccer Players: A Randomized Study

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of different muscle warm-up phases on knee joint proprioception, vertical jump, agility, and balance in professional youth soccer players.

Methods: Twenty-five professional youth football players under 18 were assessed during muscle rest, warm-up, and fatigue phases using tests measuring knee proprioception, dynamic balance, explosive power, and agility.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Proprioception; Balance; Agility; Warm-up
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: three warming phases of the muscle

Detailed Description

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate how different phases of muscle warm-up affect knee joint proprioception, vertical jump performance, agility, and dynamic balance in professional youth soccer players. Understanding these effects is critical for optimizing warm-up protocols to enhance athletic performance and reduce injury risk in this population.

Methods:

Twenty-five male professional youth football players under the age of 18 (mean age 16.5 ± 1.2 years) were randomly selected for this study. Each participant underwent assessments during three distinct muscle states: resting, after warm-up, and post-training fatigue. Knee joint proprioception was evaluated at a 30° angle using a digital inclinometer to measure joint position sense accuracy. Dynamic balance was assessed through the Y-balance test in three directions: anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral. Explosive power was measured using the Sargent vertical jump test, while agility was tested with the T-test. All measurements were performed in each muscle condition to compare performance across the different warm-up phases.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Konya
    • Konya, Konya, Turkey (Türkiye), 40336
      • Nezahat Keleşoğlu Faculty of Health Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:The study included young athletes with at least 3 years of club-level football experience who trained at least 5 days a week for 90 minutes -

Exclusion Criteria:Individuals with knee pain or a history of knee joint surgery were excluded from this study.

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Exercise Program

Other: three warming phases of the muscle; All assessments will be measured in three warming phases of the muscle. The first phase is the Rest state (Cold state), which is the phase before the training begins. In this phase, the athlete has not warmed up. The second phase is the "Warming state," where the athlete has started the training and has warmed up for 20 minutes. The third phase is the "Post-Training Phase," which occurs 10 minutes after the completion of a 90-minute training session. Measurements will be taken for all three phases.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Proprioception Test	Knee joint proprioception was assessed using a Baseline Digital Inclinometer (Fabrication Enterprises Inc., USA). Active joint position sense (JPS) of the dominant knee was measured with this device. Participants were seated in a 90° hip and knee flexion position. Initially, the researcher passively positioned the participant's knee at 30° of flexion with eyes open, instructing the participant to memorize the angle. The participant was then asked to close their eyes and actively replicate the target position. The angular deviation from the target was recorded as the proprioceptive error. This procedure was repeated three times, and the mean error was used for analysis .	It was measured separately in all three phases of exercise. Baseline (resting phase), immediately after the warm-up phase, and immediately after the fatigue phase.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sargent Vertical Jump Test	The Sargent Jump Test (SJT) was used to evaluate the explosive power of the lower extremities. Participants stood side-on to a wall and extended their dominant arm upward to mark their maximum reach height while standing flat-footed. This point was recorded as the baseline. From a standing position, participants performed a maximal vertical jump and touched the wall at the peak of their jump. The difference between the jump reach and the standing reach height was calculated and recorded as the jump height. Three trials were conducted, and the highest value was used for analysis. A higher score indicates better performance .	It was measured separately in all three phases of exercise.Baseline (resting phase), immediately after the warm-up phase, and immediately after the fatigue phase.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
T-Test for Agility	Agility was measured using the T-Test, a standardized test involving four cones arranged in a T-shaped configuration. In this setup, three cones were placed in a straight line, each 4.57 meters apart. A fourth cone was placed 9.14 meters perpendicular to the middle cone. Participants were instructed to sprint forward to the center cone, shuffle laterally to each side cone, and then backpedal to the start. The time taken to complete the course was measured using electronic timing gates. Shorter times indicate better agility performance .	It was measured separately in all three phases of exercise. Baseline (resting phase), immediately after the warm-up phase, and immediately after the fatigue phase.
Dynamic Balance Test (Y-Balance Test)	Dynamic balance was assessed using the Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test. Participants stood barefoot on one leg, placing the stance foot at the center of a Y-shaped grid, with toes behind the starting line. While maintaining single-leg balance, participants reached as far as possible with the non-stance leg in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions without losing balance or touching down. Each participant performed three trials per direction, and the average reach distance was calculated for each. Higher reach distances indicate better dynamic balance performance .	It was measured separately in all three phases of exercise. Baseline (resting phase), immediately after the warm-up phase, and immediately after the fatigue phase.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Necmettin Erbakan University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Neslihan Altuntaş YILMAZ, Assistant Professor, Necmettin Erbakan University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• 12. Davis DS, Briscoe DA, Markowski CT, Saville SE, Taylor CJ. Physical characteristics that predict vertical jump performance in recreational male athletes. Phys Ther Sport. 2003;4(4):167-74

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 2, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 27, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 15, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): December 16, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 16, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 15, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Balance; Proprioception; Agility; Vertical jump; Muscle Warm-up
• Other Study ID Numbers: NEU-PT2025-02; Necmettin Erbakan University (Necmettin Erbakan University)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The primary reasons why Individual Participant Data (IPD) cannot or may not be shared stem from Ethical Review Board (IRB/IEC) decisions and legal obligations regarding participant privacy.

Drug and device information, study documents

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