Myofascial Line Training Effects on Mobility and Endurance in Adolescent Football Players

Effects of Posterior vs. Spiral Myofascial Line Training on Joint Mobility and Myofascial Isometric Endurance in Adolescent Football Players: A Randomized Crossover Trial

This study compared the effects of two myofascial chain training programs - the Superficial Posterior Line (PL) and the Spiral Line (SL) - on joint mobility and myofascial isometric endurance in adolescent male football players. Thirty-eight licensed male players (ages 15-16) were enrolled in a randomized crossover trial consisting of two 6-week training phases (12 weeks total), with follow-up measurements at week 16. Each program was delivered twice weekly in 30-minute sessions alongside regular club training. Joint mobility was assessed using goniometry (shoulder flexion, hip flexion, hip extension, popliteal angle), and myofascial isometric endurance was evaluated using the Bunkie Test across five lines (APL, PPL, PSL, LSL, MSL).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Athletic Performance Enhancement
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Superficial Posterior Line (PL) Myofascial Training; Behavioral: Spiral Line (SL) Myofascial Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 38
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Mersin
    • Mersin, Mersin, Turkey (Türkiye), 33343
      • Mersin University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male, aged 15-16 years (U15-U16 category)
• Holding an active football player license and currently competing with a club team
• Regularly participating in routine club training sessions
• Free from any injury or musculoskeletal condition that could affect -performance testing at the time of enrollment
• Parental/legal guardian consent and participant assent obtained

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of any musculoskeletal injury, recent surgery, or medical condition affecting lower-limb function within the past 6 months
• Inability to attend the required training sessions or assessment time points
• Unwillingness or inability of parents/legal guardians to provide informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: PL-First Group (PLFG); Participants first completed 6 weeks of Superficial Posterior Line (PL) myofascial training, followed by 6 weeks of Spiral Line (SL) myofascial training.	Behavioral: Superficial Posterior Line (PL) Myofascial Training; 6-week myofascial training program targeting the posterior chain (plantar fascia, gastrocnemius, hamstrings, erector spinae). Two 30-minute sessions per week.; Behavioral: Spiral Line (SL) Myofascial Training; 6-week myofascial training program targeting the spiral chain (rhomboids, serratus anterior, obliques, ITB, fibularis longus). Two 30-minute sessions per week.
Experimental: SL-First Group (SLFG); Participants first completed 6 weeks of Spiral Line (SL) myofascial training, followed by 6 weeks of Superficial Posterior Line (PL) myofascial training.	Behavioral: Superficial Posterior Line (PL) Myofascial Training; 6-week myofascial training program targeting the posterior chain (plantar fascia, gastrocnemius, hamstrings, erector spinae). Two 30-minute sessions per week.; Behavioral: Spiral Line (SL) Myofascial Training; 6-week myofascial training program targeting the spiral chain (rhomboids, serratus anterior, obliques, ITB, fibularis longus). Two 30-minute sessions per week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Myofascial Isometric Endurance (Bunkie Test)	Isometric endurance of five myofascial lines (APL, PPL, PSL, LSL, MSL) assessed in seconds using the Bunkie Test protocol.	Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16
Shoulder Flexion Range of Motion	degrees	Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16
Hip Flexion Range of Motion	degrees	Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16
Hip Extension Range of Motion	degrees	Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16
Popliteal Angle	degrees	Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mersin University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 5, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 22, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 7, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 7, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: range of motion; Myofascial lines; superficial posterior line; spiral line; Bunkie test
• Other Study ID Numbers: MEU-SBF-IK-02

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