This study examined the long-term effects of the 11+ on physical performance in adolescent male football (soccer) players. Eighty-two 14- to 16-year-old male football players (11+ = 42 players, control = 40 players) participated. Teams were randomised to control (CON) and intervention (INT) groups. INT applied the 11+ injury prevention programme for 30 weeks at least twice a week as a warm-up. CON performed their standard warm-up. Motor performance tests were conducted 1 week prior and 1 week after the competition season. We used magnitude-based inferences and linear mixed-effects models to analyse performance test results. INT showed superior results compared to CON in the vertical jump height 7.5% (95%-CI 4.4%, 10.7%), the Bosco 15-s-jump test 7.2% (95%-CI 2.2%, 12.4%), and the Illinois agility test −2.6% (95%-CI −4.1%, −1.1%). Possibly beneficial effects in favour of INT were found in the 9.1 m sprint test −3.1% (95%-CI −6.1%, 0.1%). Possibly harmful effects (i.e. in favour of CON) were observed in the dribbling test 2.8% (95%-CI −0.8%, 6.4%). The 11+ warm-up programme can improve different performance measures in football players. Coaches might implement additional dribbling drills next to the 11+ to achieve improvements observed in dribbling ability when using a regular warm-up programme.

Fatigue of trunk muscle contributes to spinal instability over strenuous and prolonged physical tasks and therefore may lead to injury, however from a performance perspective, relation between endurance efficient core muscles and optimal balance control has not been well-known. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of trunk muscle endurance and static balance.Fifty male students inhabitant of Tehran university dormitory (age 23.92.4, height 173.04.5 weight 70.76.3) took part in the study. Trunk muscle endurance was assessed using Srensen test of trunk extensor endurance, trunk flexor endurance test, side bridge endurance test and static balance was measured using single-limb stance test. A multiple linear regression analysis was applied to test if the trunk muscle endurance measures significantly predicted the static balance.There were positive correlations between static balance level and trunk flexor, extensor and lateral endurance measures (Pearson correlation test, r=0.80 and P<0.001; r=0.71 and P<0.001; r=0.84 and P<0.001, respectively). According to multiple regression analysis for variables predicting static balance, the linear combination of trunk muscle endurance measures was significantly related to the static balance (F (3,46) = 66.60, P<0.001). Endurance of trunk flexor, extensor and lateral muscles were significantly associated with the static balance level. The regression model which included these factors had the sample multiple correlation coefficient of 0.902, indicating that approximately 81% of the variance of the static balance is explained by the model.There is a significant relationship between trunk muscle endurance and static balance.

Purpose: The “11+ Kids” injury-prevention program has been shown to reduce injuries and related costs in youth football players less than 14 y of age. A major argument to convince coaches to use this exercise-based injury-prevention program is a potential performance enhancement of the players. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of the “11+ Kids” program on isokinetic strength. Methods: Two teams were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group replaced their warm-up by the “11+ Kids” and the control group warmed up as usual. Two days before and after the 10-wk intervention, isokinetic strength of the hip adductors and abductors, knee flexors and extensors, and ankle invertors and evertors was tested. Results: Thirty-one players (mean age 11.5 [0.8] y) completed the study. The intervention group showed large improvements in all isokinetic strength measures (P < .001 for all measures; Cohen d = 0.8–1.4), whereas the control group only showed negligible to medium positive effects (P values ranging from .006 to .718; Cohen d = −0.1 to 0.7). The intervention was beneficial compared with the control group regarding isokinetic strength of the hip adductors (P < .001), knee flexors (P = .002), and ankle evertors (P < .001) and invertors (P = .005). Conclusions: Given the relatively short intervention period of 10 wk, the observed improvements relate to a practically meaningful effect of the intervention. The gain in strength may improve players’ performance and may contribute to a reduction of injury risk in the long-term application.

Background: Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, with most players being younger than 18 years. “FIFA 11+ Kids” has been recently introduced to prevent soccer injuries in adolescent players. This program would be more accepted and followed by coaches and players if it were to also promote performance and physical fitness in players. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a ten-week FIFA 11+ for kids Injury prevention program on performance and physical fitness in adolescent soccer players. Methods: 56 adolescent players participated in this study from Tehran province, Iran. They were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group underwent 10 weeks of FIFA 11+ warm-up exercise for kids, while the control group followed its routine warm-up. Both groups took the slalom dribbling, Illinois, sit and reach, standing long jump, triple hop, Y balance, 40 and 20-yard sprint, plank and side plank tests one week before and after the program. Results: Covariance analysis showed that the intervention group gained significantly better results in Y balance, triple hop distance, isokinetic strength of flexor and extensor of knee muscles and 40-yard speed tests compared to the control group as the result of the ten-week FIFA 11+ injury prevention program for kids. No significant difference was seen in the slalom dribbling, Illinois, sit and reach, standing long jump, 20-yard sprint, plank, and side plank between the groups. Conclusions: Y balance, triple hop distance and 40-yard speed tests could benefit from the11+ kids program owing to the specificity principle of training; since the main focus of the11+ kids program is on plyometric and balance exercises. As the 11+ Kids program does not contain the related drills to improve the performance and other fitness components, it is therefore not expected to improve the slalom dribbling, Illinois, sit and reach, standing long jump, 20-yard sprint, plank, and side plank. However, the 11+ kid’s program could enhance some of the related physical fitness components such as balance which has been shown to be related to sport injuries and may probably be effective in sport injury prevention. Keywords: Injury Prevention Program; Performance; Fitness; Adolescent Players

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an eight-week 11 + S programme on isokinetic shoulder strength in young male volleyball players. Twenty-eight top-level young male volleyball players were recruited for this study. The players were randomly assigned into intervention (14 players) and control (14 players) groups. The intervention group performed the 11 + S as a warm-up before training at least three times a week for eight weeks. Dominant shoulder strength was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/s and 180°/s. The functional deceleration ratio (FDR) was calculated as a functional strength profile. 20% FDR improvement after eight weeks of 11 + S at 180°/s (p = 0.003) were observed. No other statistically significant effects for shoulder strength improvement was observed (p > 0.05). Eight weeks of 11 + S warm-up programme improved the glenohumeral muscle imbalance by increasing the functional deceleration ratio (FDR) of shoulder muscles in young male volleyball players.