Influence of Core Training on Fatigue, Balance and Performance in Adolescent Football Players

Influence of Core Training on Fatigue, Balance and Performance in Adolescent Football Players (Randomized Controlled Trial)

Background:

Adolescent football players are exposed to high physical and psychological demands due to intensive training, frequent matches, travel, and limited recovery time. These factors can lead to early fatigue, reduced balance, and lower technical performance, all of which may increase the risk of non-contact injuries. The muscles of the trunk (core muscles) help stabilize the spine and pelvis, transfer forces between the upper and lower limbs, and maintain postural control during sport-specific movements. Weak core stability has been linked to poorer balance, reduced fatigue resistance, and suboptimal performance. Although core training is widely used in sports, there is limited evidence on its combined effects on fatigue, balance, and football-specific performance in adolescent players.

Objectives:

This randomized controlled trial aims to examine whether an 8-week core training program can improve fatigue resistance, balance, and football performance in adolescent football players compared with usual training alone.

Methods:

This is a pre-post, parallel-group randomized controlled trial conducted at Wadi Degla Football Club. Eligible participants are male adolescent football players aged 14-18 years from the 2005, 2006, and 2007 teams, who train regularly (at least 6 hours per week), have a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m², and have been free from lower-limb injury or surgery for at least 6 months. Players with recent major lower-limb injuries, surgery, or irregular training will be excluded.

Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups using computer-generated random numbers: (1) a core-training group, which receives an 8-week structured core exercise program in addition to their usual football training, and (2) a control group, which continues usual football training without additional core exercises. Both groups will be assessed before and after the intervention period. Outcome measures will include fatigue-related performance, static and/or dynamic balance, and football-specific performance tests.

Potential Benefits and Risks:

The study may help clarify whether adding core training to routine football practice can enhance fatigue resistance, balance, and functional performance in adolescent football players and potentially reduce injury risk. The exercises are commonly used in sports settings and are considered low risk for healthy athletes; no significant risks beyond normal football training are anticipated. Participation is voluntary, and players may withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences for their team status or medical care.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sport Injuries; Musculoskeletal; Fatigability; Balance Changes; Core Muscle Weakness
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Core Training Group

Detailed Description

Background and Rationale:

Adolescent football players are exposed to increasing physical and psychological demands due to intensive training schedules, frequent competition, and limited recovery. These demands may contribute to early fatigue, impaired balance, and reduced technical performance, potentially increasing the risk of non-contact musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, growth-related changes and ongoing neuromuscular development during adolescence may further affect movement control and performance consistency.

The core musculature, including the abdominal, lumbar, pelvic, and hip muscles, plays a fundamental role in trunk stabilization, force transmission, and postural control during football-specific activities such as sprinting, cutting, kicking, and landing. Adequate core stability is considered important for maintaining movement efficiency and performance, particularly under conditions of fatigue. Conversely, insufficient core control has been associated with impaired balance and suboptimal functional performance.

Although core training is widely implemented in sports conditioning programs, current evidence regarding its effectiveness in adolescent football players remains limited and inconclusive. In particular, the combined effects of core training on fatigue resistance, balance, and football-specific performance are not well established in this population. Therefore, further research is needed to determine whether integrating structured core exercises into routine football training provides meaningful additional benefits.

Study Design Overview This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effects of an 8-week structured core training program in adolescent football players. The intervention is integrated within a real-world club training environment, allowing for practical applicability of the findings.

Participants will be allocated to either a core training group or a control condition involving routine football training. The study follows a pre-post design to evaluate changes over time and to compare outcomes between groups.

Significance:

The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the evidence base guiding training and injury prevention strategies in youth football. Clarifying the role of core training may support coaches, physiotherapists, and strength and conditioning professionals in optimizing performance development and reducing injury risk in adolescent players.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Giza Governorate
    • Giza, Giza Governorate, Egypt, 12613
      • Cairo University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male adolescent football players aged 14-18 years
• Registered players from Wadi Degla football teams
• Free from lower limb injuries for at least 6 months before the start of the study
• Body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m²
• Regular participation in football training for at least 6 hours per week

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not regularly participating in football training for at least 6 hours per week
• History of major lower limb injury within the last 6 months
• History of lower limb surgery before the study period

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
Experimental: Core Training Group; Adolescent football players receiving an 8-week structured core training program in addition to their usual football training.	Other: Core Training Group; An 8-week core stability training program including trunk strengthening and stabilization exercises performed in addition to the players' usual football training, three sessions per week under supervision.
No Intervention: Control Group; Adolescent football players continuing their usual football training without the additional core training program.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in fatigue-related performance	Change in fatigue-related performance of adolescent football players from baseline to 8 weeks, assessed using a standardized field-based fatigue protocol fatigue index appropriate for youth football. Higher post-training scores indicate better fatigue resistance.	Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in balance performance	Change in balance performance from baseline to 8 weeks, assessed using standardized balance tests suitable for adolescent football players. Balance will be measured before and after the 8-week core training period to determine the effect of core training on balance in adolescent football players.	Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Collaborators: General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ahmed Torad, Phd, Departement of basic sciences, faculty of physical therapy, kafrelsheikh university; Study Director: Ahmed Saber Rageh, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London branch at European Universities in Egypt (EUE).

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 7, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 11, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): April 21, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 24, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 11, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 6, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Balance; Randomized controlled trial; Fatigue; Core stability; Sports performance; Core training; Youth soccer players; Adolescent football players
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: FPTBSUREC/0107/14925

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: There is no current plan to share individual participant data (IPD) from this trial. Aggregated results will be reported in scientific publications and conference presentations.

Drug and device information, study documents

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