Effect of Pilates exercise on kicking accuracy, sprint time and vertical jump in football players-A pre-post study

Football performance relies heavily on physical attributes such as kicking accuracy, sprint speed, and vertical jump ability. Core strength, neuromuscular control, and movement efficiency are important contributors to these skills. Pilates exercise, which focuses on core stability, motor control, and flexibility, has the potential to enhance these performance measures; however, its direct impact on football-specific metrics is not well established.

This single-arm pre-post interventional study will investigate the effect of a structured Pilates exercise program on kicking accuracy, 30-meter sprint time, and vertical jump height in competitive male football players. Thirty-five participants aged 18 to 25 years, with at least five years of regular football training, will be recruited from clubs in Belagavi through purposive sampling. Players with recent musculoskeletal injuries, surgeries, or neurological conditions will be excluded.

Following ethical clearance and informed consent, baseline measurements will be recorded. The intervention will consist of 15 supervised mat-based Pilates sessions conducted over five weeks (three sessions per week). Each session will include 10 progressive exercises, such as Side Kick, Shoulder Bridge, Clamshell, Hundred, and Leg Pull, performed in sets of 10 repetitions, following Pilates principles of centering, control, concentration, precision, breath, and flow.

Outcome measures will include the Finnoff Soccer Shooting Test for kicking accuracy, the 30-meter sprint test for sprint time, and the Vertical Jump Test for jump height. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be conducted by a physiotherapist blinded to study stages. Data will be analyzed using paired t-tests or Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests, with significance set at p<0.05.

This study aims to generate evidence on the role of Pilates in improving football-specific performance, potentially guiding sports physiotherapy and conditioning programs.