AI-Based Hamstring Injury Risk Analysis and Effects of the FUNBALL Program

AI-Based Hamstring Injury Risk Analysis and the Effects of the FUNBALL Program on Physical Performance and Cognitive Function in Professional Football Players

This study investigates hamstring injury risk in football players using artificial intelligence-based motion analysis (OpenPose) and evaluates the effects of a targeted exercise intervention (FUNBALL). Hamstring risk is assessed during a 30-m sprint using sagittal-plane video analysis, and players classified as medium or high risk receive a four-month FUNBALL program. A pre-post intervention design is employed, with sprint performance, agility, balance, jumping ability, kicking power, and cognitive function assessed using standardized field and cognitive tests.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy; Healthy Adult Male
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: FUNBALL Prevention Program

Detailed Description

Before the implementation of the FUNBALL program, artificial intelligence (OpenPose) based hamstring risk analysis and 30-meter sprint test, 505 agility and direction change test, modified star balance test, 5-point jump test, maximum shot distance test and cognition tests will be applied as pre-tests (18,19). AI risk analysis will be done by examining video (30 frame rate) captured with a phone camera (iPhone 14 Pro) from the sagittal (side) plane during the 240 m sprint test. The camera will be positioned 15 meters from the level of the middle of the 30-meter sprint test with the help of a tripod. It will follow the participant's run for 30 meters in motion. The football player will be asked to do a 30 m sprint with 3 repetitions and the average of 3 repetitions will be taken as a basis. According to the artificial intelligence risk analysis, the FUNBALL program will be applied to medium and high risk groups for 4 months. At the end of the Middle Program, the same parameters will be re-evaluated. Hamstring risk analysis and speed parameter will be evaluated with 30 meter sprint test, agility parameter 505 with direction change and agility test, cognition parameter with color word stroop test, n-back test and digit span test, balance and proprioception parameter with modified star balance test, jump parameter with 5-point jump test, and power parameter with maximum shot distance test.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Büyükçekmece
    • Istanbul, Büyükçekmece, Turkey (Türkiye), 34537
      • Istanbulspor Ömer Sarıalioglu Football Team Facilitu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To be a professional football player between the ages of 18-35.
• Not having a history of ligament, joint, bone, muscle or tendon injury that requires at least 2 months away from the field in the last 6 months.
• Not having an active disability.
• To have verbal and written communication skills who accept to participate in the study voluntarily and to perform exercise applications.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of an active disability
• Having a history of ligament, joint, bone, muscle or tendon injury that requires at least 2 months away from the field in the last 6 months.
• Vestibular or disconnected vision problems
• History of cancer
• Illiteracy
• Mental and cognitive disorders that may affect communication

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• 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: FUNBALL Intervention Arm

Other: FUNBALL Prevention Program; The FUNBALL Prevention Program is an evidence-based injury prevention exercise program described in the literature. The program was developed by Obertinca et al. and has been shown to reduce thigh muscle injury incidence by approximately 38% in football players. In the present study, the FUNBALL program is implemented as a structured training intervention aimed at reducing hamstring injury risk.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Classified as High Hamstring Injury Risk by OpenPose-Based Biomechanical Analysis	Outcome measure: Number of participants classified as high hamstring injury risk. Assessment tool: OpenPose-based biomechanical motion analysis of a 30-meter sprint. Classification is based on hip flexion angle, knee extension angle, and terminal swing phase mechanics. Unit of measure: Number of participants classified as high risk.	Baseline (Day 0) and post-intervention (Week 12)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
505 COD Agility Test	The 505 Change of Direction (COD) test is a widely used field-based assessment designed to evaluate an athlete's ability to decelerate, rapidly change direction, and re-accelerate over a short distance. The players are going to sprint forward 10 m, perform a 180-degree turn off a designated foot at the 5-m mark, and sprint back as quickly as possible, with total time is going to record using electronic timing gates or a stopwatch.	Baseline (Day 0) and post-intervention (Week 12)
Number of Players With Elevated Hamstring Injury Risk During Sprint Testing	The primary outcome will be the number of players identified with elevated hamstring injury risk during a 30-m sprint test, assessed using an artificial intelligence-based movement analysis.	Baseline (Day 0) and post-intervention (Week 12)
N-Back Task Accuracy (%)	Working memory performance assessed using a computerized N-Back task and reported as percentage accuracy (%).	Baseline (Day 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 12)
Digit Span Total Score	Total number of correctly recalled digits during a computerized Digit Span task.	Baseline (Day 0) and Post Intervention (Week 12)
Composite Reach Distance in Modified Star Excursion Balance Test	Composite normalized reach distance during the Modified Star Excursion Balance Test.	Baseline ( Day 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 12)
Horizontal Distance in Multiple Five Bounds Test	Horizontal distance achieved during the Multiple Five Bounds Test assessing horizontal power.	Baseline (Day 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 12)
Maximal Soccer Ball Kicking Distance	Maximum horizontal distance of a soccer ball following a maximal instep kick.	Baseline (Day 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 12)
Stroop Reaction Time	Mean reaction time during incongruent trials of a computerized Stroop task.	Baseline (Day 0) and Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yeditepe University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Elif Tuğçe t Çil Sertöz, Asst. Prof. Dr., Yeditepe University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): April 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 29, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cognition; prevention; artificial intelligence; sports; performance; football; hamstring; ai-based; FUNBALL
• Other Study ID Numbers: Yeditepe U1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: January 2026-January 2027
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; ANALYTIC_CODE; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

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