Abstract
Purpose Sports injuries can significantly impact an athlete’s career, as well as impose a high financial burden on teams. Therefore, the prevention of sports injuries is an essential aspect of sports medicine. To evaluate the effects of a 6-month training period, using part 2 of the FIFA11+, on the activation and strength of core and lower limb muscles, and on static and dynamic balance performance.
Materials and Methods Eight college male soccer players, 20.4±0.5 years old, completed the FIFA11+ program (part 2) at least 3x per week for 6 months. The following variables were measured, before and after the 6-month training program: activity of more than 30 muscles (with a focus on core and lower limb muscles), measured using the standardized uptake values of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET-CT); isokinetic strength of the knee flexor and extensor and hip abductor muscles, measured at 60°/s; static balance over a 60-s period, measured using a Gravicorder; and dynamic balance, measured using the Star Excursion Balance Test.
Results Training improved activity levels of core (obliquus externus abdominis and erector spinae) and lower limb (tibialis anterior of the both legs) muscles (p≤0.03), corrected the between-limb difference in activation of the semimembranosus and improved dynamic balance, with a greater training effect on the non-dominant limb (p≤0.02). Training also improved knee flexor force of the non-dominant lower limb (p=0.02).
Conclusion Routine performance of the FIFA11+ (part 2) program can improve activation of core and lower limb muscles, with a concomitant improvement in dynamic balance.