Strength Training Reduces Injury Rate in Elite Young Soccer Players During One Season

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of strength training on physical fitness parameters and injuries occurrence in young elite soccer players. Fifty-two elite young soccer players (13-14 years) were divided on a randomized order into experimental group (EG, n = 26) and control group (CG, n = 26). For EG, 2 to 3 sessions of strength training (90 minutes) were introduced weekly in their training program for 12 weeks (4 × 3 weeks separated by 1-week recovery). Sprint tests (10-20-30 m), T-test time, and jumping tests were measured at the start (T0), at the middle (T1), and at the end of the experiment period (T2). The injury rate was recorded by the medical and fitness training staff throughout the soccer season. Compared to CG, EG performed significantly better in sprint running and T-test time at T2 (p < 0.01). Similarly, the improvement amount for jumping tests was significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) in EG than in CG. A total of 17 injuries were recorded over the soccer season. The rate was higher in CG (13 injuries) than in training group (4 injuries). This study showed that strength training accurately and efficiently scheduled in youth soccer players, induced performance improvement, and reduced the rate of injuries.

Strength training as superior, dose-dependent and safe prevention of acute and overuse sports injuries: a systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis

“…Four studies analysed acute outcomes,26–29 one an overuse outcome30 and one study analysed all injuries31 (see online supplement section §5 for a detailed description of study characteristics). On the basis of a lack of cluster adjustment, the power of the study by van der Horst et al 27 was reduced by an inflation factor of 1.59.…”

“…The study by Coppack et al 30 analysed 1502 military conscripts while the remaining five studies included soccer players of various ages and levels. Askling et al 26 and Zouita et al ,31 respectively, included 30 adult elite players and 54 youth elite players in individual randomised studies while the remaining studies performed team cluster-randomised designs. Van der Horst et al 27 included 648 amateur male soccer players, Petersen et al 28 942 mixed amateur and elite players and Waldén et al 29 included 4564 female adolescent players.…”

“…Coppack et al 30 (participation in sessions), van der Horst et al 27 (registration of performed exercises) and Petersen et al 28 (registration of performed exercises) all reported compliance of 91%. The studies by Waldén et al 29 and Zouita et al ,31 respectively, had coaches and players document strength training participation to improve compliance and adherence but did not report these or any other compliance measures.…”

“…Notable factors to facilitate compliance and technique were used by Waldén et al 29 who performed regular spot tests, van der Horst et al 27 who held evaluation meetings and designed a website and Zouita et al 31 who included variation elements to a tightly scheduled programme for young elite soccer players living at a Tunisian soccer centre.…”

“…Zouita et al 31 studied a 13–14-year-old population of elite soccer players with sports injury as a secondary outcome. The intervention distinctively incorporated technique familiarisation, individualised load and progression calculations, goal-specific phases and periodisation, inter-phase recovery weeks and programme variation (to avoid monotony and performance plateaus), together with forced repetitions (completion of all sets even if assistance was required).…”