The Impact of the FIFA11+ Training
Program on Injury Prevention in Football Players: A Systematic Review
Barengo
NC, Meneses-Echavez JF, Ramierez-Velez R, Cohen DD, Tovar G, & Bautista JE.
Int J Envrion Res Public Health. 2014.
11: 11986-12000.
NC, Meneses-Echavez JF, Ramierez-Velez R, Cohen DD, Tovar G, & Bautista JE.
Int J Envrion Res Public Health. 2014.
11: 11986-12000.
Take Home Message: The FIFA11+
program reduced injuries and improved functional performance. It is more effective if compliance and
adherence are high, both of which are better if a coach educated on the program
administers the program to the team.
program reduced injuries and improved functional performance. It is more effective if compliance and
adherence are high, both of which are better if a coach educated on the program
administers the program to the team.
FIFA 11+ injury prevention program is an exercise program that can be
easily incorporated into a team’s warm-up to help prevent sports injury. The exercises include core stability,
proprioception, dynamic stability, and plyometric strengthening and only take
less than 15 minutes to complete. The
authors of this systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the
FIFA11+ program in soccer players on injury risk and performance. Thirteen studies were included in the final
analysis that involved a pre- and post-intervention analysis of outcomes in a
soccer population. The 13 articles were
then methodologically assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale
(randomized controlled trials) or the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme
(cohort studies) and the authors eliminated one study due to low methodological
quality. Injury incidence was
investigated in 6 studies, where 4 reported a reduction in injuries while 2
reported no reduction in injury incidence.
Both studies that showed no injury-prevention benefit only did the
program once/week. The FIFA11+ program improved multiple performance outcomes in
the 7 studies that reported these outcomes such as proprioception/balance,
strength, jump height, and sprint speed pre- to post-intervention which could
have direct implications for injury prevention.
The authors of one of the included studies reported that higher
compliance was associated with lower injury risk, and that adherence was better
in teams that had a coach delivered/supervised the program.
easily incorporated into a team’s warm-up to help prevent sports injury. The exercises include core stability,
proprioception, dynamic stability, and plyometric strengthening and only take
less than 15 minutes to complete. The
authors of this systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the
FIFA11+ program in soccer players on injury risk and performance. Thirteen studies were included in the final
analysis that involved a pre- and post-intervention analysis of outcomes in a
soccer population. The 13 articles were
then methodologically assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale
(randomized controlled trials) or the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme
(cohort studies) and the authors eliminated one study due to low methodological
quality. Injury incidence was
investigated in 6 studies, where 4 reported a reduction in injuries while 2
reported no reduction in injury incidence.
Both studies that showed no injury-prevention benefit only did the
program once/week. The FIFA11+ program improved multiple performance outcomes in
the 7 studies that reported these outcomes such as proprioception/balance,
strength, jump height, and sprint speed pre- to post-intervention which could
have direct implications for injury prevention.
The authors of one of the included studies reported that higher
compliance was associated with lower injury risk, and that adherence was better
in teams that had a coach delivered/supervised the program.
This
systematic review reinforces that the FIFA11+ program can be successful at
reducing injuries, improving physical performance measures, and is best
delivered by a coach because adherence and compliance are linked with decreased
injury risk. These findings are specific
for the soccer population, and we need to find out if this intervention program
is as effective in other sporting populations. The authors interestingly point
out that this type of program has a public health impact because sport injuries
are expensive and preventing them could reduce healthcare costs. A program like this could also have a drastic
help decrease the number of athletes with long-term negative outcomes from
sport injury, such as osteoarthritis. It
would be interesting to see what the player and coaches’ perceptions of the
FIFA11+ program are. Many coaches are
hesitant to dedicate practice time to such programs, but the authors confirm
that we may be able to get coaches to “buy in” by continuing to show evidence
of improved functional measures as well as the added benefit of injury
reduction. This systematic review is
further evidence that we should start implementing injury prevention programs
with our teams. It may be helpful to get parents, coaches, and athletes to buy
into the programs if we remind them that not only does the program reduce the
risk of injury but also can improve performance.
systematic review reinforces that the FIFA11+ program can be successful at
reducing injuries, improving physical performance measures, and is best
delivered by a coach because adherence and compliance are linked with decreased
injury risk. These findings are specific
for the soccer population, and we need to find out if this intervention program
is as effective in other sporting populations. The authors interestingly point
out that this type of program has a public health impact because sport injuries
are expensive and preventing them could reduce healthcare costs. A program like this could also have a drastic
help decrease the number of athletes with long-term negative outcomes from
sport injury, such as osteoarthritis. It
would be interesting to see what the player and coaches’ perceptions of the
FIFA11+ program are. Many coaches are
hesitant to dedicate practice time to such programs, but the authors confirm
that we may be able to get coaches to “buy in” by continuing to show evidence
of improved functional measures as well as the added benefit of injury
reduction. This systematic review is
further evidence that we should start implementing injury prevention programs
with our teams. It may be helpful to get parents, coaches, and athletes to buy
into the programs if we remind them that not only does the program reduce the
risk of injury but also can improve performance.
Questions for Discussion: Do
any of the sports teams that you work with utilize an injury prevention
program? Are there any barriers that you
might be able to identify in trying to get coaches to implement this type of a
program?
any of the sports teams that you work with utilize an injury prevention
program? Are there any barriers that you
might be able to identify in trying to get coaches to implement this type of a
program?
Written
by: Nicole Cattano
by: Nicole Cattano
Reviewed
by: Jeffrey Driban
by: Jeffrey Driban
Related Post:
Related Material:
Barengo, N., Meneses-Echávez, J., Ramírez-Vélez, R., Cohen, D., Tovar, G., & Bautista, J. (2014). The Impact of the FIFA 11+ Training Program on Injury Prevention in Football Players: A Systematic Review International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11 (11), 11986-12000 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph111111986
I think this brings up a very interesting point of the motivation and compliance of the soccer athletes and whether a normal injury prevention protocol would have the same effects. The age range for using FIFA 11+ will also be a factor and how often the program is done. I have usually worked with some soccer teams that perform prevention protocols 3 times a week for ~10-15 minutes every week and found it effective. Lastly, the cost would be a factor and what setting it is used in (D1 schools vs public high schools)
Overall, very interesting subject that will continue to develop as time goes on.
Sandra Koen
This a very helpful article in providing insight to a successful intervention program. This is starting to answer the question of how to reduce ACL injury. An important piece that seems to be missing is the ability of the coaching staff/sports medicine providers to appropriately and correctly administer this program. Another aspect that is missing is how long the training for the instructor takes. The longer the training, the less likely for cooperation from the instructors.
Andrea Baellow
Andrea, thanks for the comment. Those are great things to consider. You may find this article interesting that looked at the training of the coaches who implemented the programs: https://www.sportsmedres.org/2013/04/coaches-influence-adherence-injury-prevention-programs.html