Evaluation of Physical Performance and Functional Asymmetries in Female Football

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Resistance Training; Inter-limb Asymmetries; Athletic Performance
• Interventions: Other: Strength training program

• Registration Number: NCT03862560
• Lead Sponsor: Universidad de Zaragoza

Brief Summary

Worldwide, soccer has grown increasingly popular among female players. According to the Women´s Football Survey of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), there were more than 30 million registered women soccer players in 2014. Elite female soccer players cover approximately a total distance of 10 km with 1.7 km completed at high-speed (\>18 km/h-1), between 1350 and 1650 changes of activity like passing, dribbling, tackling and trapping and 5.1 and 31.2 repeated sprinting and high intensity bouts, respectively. Thus, it seems that those strategies addressed to improve such high-intensity activities should be considered a priority for female soccer players.

Different training methods to improve soccer specific variables have been developed such as, high-intensity interval training, resisted sprint training, strength training or plyometric training. Whilst individual training interventions have been shown to produce enhancements in measures of athletic performance for soccer players, there is a paucity of studies looking at the effectiveness of strength and power training specifically on performance measures in female soccer populations.

Unilateral strength asymmetry can be a risk factor of musculoskeletal injuries. In recent years, inter-limb asymmetries have been included in battery tests performed by different soccer clubs due to their relation with lower-limb injuries. Few studies have analysed the change of an intervention on inter-limb asymmetry in female soccer players, hence, more studies for this population are warranted.

The main aim of this research project is therefore, to evaluate the effect of a physical intervention on the performance and inter-limb asymmetries of female soccer players.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-07-01
• Primary Completion: 2018-05-31
• Study Completion: 2018-07-01
• Status Verified: 2019-03
• Study First Submitted: 2019-03-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-03-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-03-02
• Study First Posted: 2019-03-05
• Last Update Posted: 2019-03-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 68

Inclusion Criteria

• Caucasian, Healthy participant, from 12 to 20 years old, with a history of training at least 3 years.

Exclusion Criteria

• Non-caucasian, injury.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Experimental group	Strength training program	Female soccers that perform a strength training

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Jumping in centimeters	Change from baseline in jumping height at 12 weeks	Jumping height was assessed using a vertical countermovement jump, drop jump and standing broad jump with flight.
Change of direction in seconds	Change from Baseline in change of direction at 12 weeks	Change of direction ability was assessed by 180º change of direction and V-cut tests.
Inter-limb asymmetry in %	Change from Baseline in inter-limb asymmetry at 12 weeks	Inter-limb asymmetry was calculated using the following formula : Inter-limb asymmetry = 100/Max Value (right and left)\*Min Value (right and left)\*-1+100.
Velocity in seconds	Change from baseline in velocity at 12 weeks	Running speed was evaluated by a 40-m sprint time (standing start) with 10-m, 20-m, 30-m split times.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

GENUD Research group (Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development); 🇪🇸 Zaragoza, Spain