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Soccer players

FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Program Fails to Induce Acute Knee Adaptations in Recreational Soccer Players

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at the University of Lleida in Lleida, Spain, conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program in inducing acute knee adaptations in recreational soccer players. The study involved 45 players who performed the FIFA 11+ warm-up, and various muscular and tendon mechanical properties, muscular oxygen saturation, electromyography, maximum voluntary contraction, and rate of force development were analyzed before and after the program. The results showed that the FIFA 11+ warm-up did not provide a sufficient stimulus to elicit mechanical or metabolic responses in the per-knee structures, with only a moderate significant increase in muscle oxygen saturation in men reported.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FIFA 11+ warm-up program was tested on 45 recreational soccer players to assess its effectiveness in inducing acute knee adaptations.
  • The program did not provide a sufficient stimulus to elicit mechanical or metabolic responses in the per-knee structures, with only a moderate significant increase in muscle oxygen saturation in men reported.
  • The intervention may lack clinical relevance, with reported effect sizes being mostly trivial, indicating that differences are unlikely to have significant practical relevance.
  • Different warm-up designs may be more appropriate for finding the desired effects on knee tissues.
  • The study highlighted the need for further research to develop more effective warm-up programs for soccer players.

Statistics:

  • Injury incidence rate of up to 70 injuries per 1000 hours of play in soccer.
  • 45 recreational soccer players participated in the study.
  • Only a moderate significant increase in muscle oxygen saturation in men was reported, with no other parameters showing statistically significant differences between groups.
  • Reported effect sizes were mostly trivial, indicating that differences are unlikely to have significant practical relevance.
  • The FIFA 11+ warm-up program failed to elicit significant responses on various muscular and tendon mechanical properties.

Sources:

  • Is the FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Effective for Inducing Acute Knee Adaptations in Recreational Soccer Players?. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2025, 10(2):216. (Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jfmk)
  • Caudet, P., Baiget, E., Batalla, A., Colomar, J., Crespo, M., Martinez-Gallego, R., & Corbi, F. (2025). Is the FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Effective for Inducing Acute Knee Adaptations in Recreational Soccer Players?. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 10(2), 216.
  • NewsRx. University of Lleida Researchers Have Published New Study Findings on Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (Is the FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Effective for Inducing Acute Knee Adaptations in Recreational Soccer Players?). Health & Medicine Week. July 11, 2025; p 8183.

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