Effects of the FIFA 11+ on ankle evertors latency time and knee muscle strength in amateur futsal players

Abstract

Background: The FIFA 11+ has shown to increase muscle strength and reduce injury risk. The purpose of this study was to assess the short and long-term effects of the FIFA 11+ on knee strength, and muscle latency after sudden inversion of amateur futsal players.

Methods: Seventy-one male futsal players were recruited and randomized to a FIFA 11+ (n = 37, age: 27.0 ± 5.1 years) and a control group (n = 34, age: 26.0 ± 5.1 years). The FIFA 11+ programme was executed twice a week, for 10 weeks, followed-up after 10 weeks where both groups executed regular warm-ups. Concentric and eccentric isokinetic knee muscle strength was tested and latency time of the evertor muscles after sudden inversion of the ankle was executed with a trapdoor mechanism following an EMG protocol of selected leg muscles (peroneus brevis and peroneus longus).

Results: No significant difference were observed between groups for short-term changes in isokinetic strength after adjustment for baseline differences. At long-term, significant gains were obtained after adjustment for baseline differences in eccentric strength for both lower limbs as for the H/Q ratios for the dominant limb. No changes between groups were observed in the peroneus brevis and peroneus longus latency time.

Conclusions: Performing FIFA 11+ did not have short-term effects on knee strength and muscle latency after sudden inversion in amateur futsal players. However, significant long-term benefits were observed for eccentric strength and H/Q ratios. 

KEYWORDS:

• Warm-up
• injury prevention
• ankle inversion test
• latency time
• isokinetic testing

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to Mr Norberto Rei for his helpful involvement during the experiment. We would also like to acknowledge the commitment and perseverance of all players, coaches and sports staff, and all technical supporting personnel, which made this study possible.

The European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Competitiveness Program, and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) support the research unit CIAFEL (REF: UID/DTP/00617/2013). iBiMED is a research unit supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (REF: UID/BIM/04501/2013) and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007628 funds.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

iBiMED is a research unit supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (REF: UID/BIM/04501/2013 and UID/BIM/04501/2019) and FEDER/Compete2020 funds. The research unit CIAFEL is supported by The European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Competitiveness Program, and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (REF: UID/DTP/00617/2013).