Fédération Internationale de Football Association 11+ Kids Program Improves Dynamic Balance in Youth Female Soccer Players - A Pilot Study

Background:Lower extremity injuries are common in youth soccer players. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 11+ Kids program is a neuromuscular training program designed to improve physical performance and reduce injury risk in youth soccer athletes; however, it has not been evaluated in female youth athletes who are at elevated risk for injury compared with their male counterparts. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the impact of the FIFA 11+ Kids program on strength, balance, and agility in youth female soccer players aged 8 to 11 years. We hypothesized that all measures would improve in the intervention group compared with age-matched controls.Methods:Twenty-six female soccer players from local competitive soccer clubs (age: 8 to 11 years) were randomized into the FIFA 11+ Kids (n = 14) and CONTROL (n = 12) groups. The FIFA 11+ Kids group completed training twice a week for 8 weeks. Both groups received pre- and postintervention assessments for strength (gluteus medius [glute]; quadriceps [quad]), dynamic balance (Y-balance test [YBT]), hopping, kinetic-jump-testing, and agility. A 2 × 2 analysis of covariance repeated on time and covaried on baseline values was used to compare measures within group and between the groups. Correlation analysis evaluated the relationship between age and baseline test performance. Type I error was set at ∝ = 0.05.Results:Glute:quad strength ratio increased in the FIFA 11+ Kids group compared with CONTROL (P = 0.006) and baseline (P = 0.001). Postintervention YBT posteromedial and posterolateral reach increased compared with the control group (P < 0.05), whereas posteromedial reach also increased compared with baseline (P = 0.021). Age correlated with quad strength (r = 0.649, P < 0.001), cross hop distance (r = 0.463, P = 0.017), pro-agility time (r = -0.569, P = 0.002), 6-m hop time (r = -0.547, P = 0.004), and three kinetic jump testing measures (r = 0.451 to 0.515, P < 0.01). Age did not correlate with YBT outcomes.Conclusion:The FIFA 11+ Kids program may improve components of strength and dynamic balance in youth female soccer players, indicating the value of including it in regular training for this population.Level of Evidence:Level II, Randomized Pilot Study.