The FIFA 11+ for kids warm-up program improved balance and leg muscle strength in children (9–12 years old)

Abstract

Children's physical attributes, especially balance and leg strength, need to improve to reduce injury during football training. Playing football involves acceleration, declaration, rapidly changing direction, running, jumping, and landing. It requires good physical attributes and strength to avoid injury. The FIFA Medical and Research Centre F-MARC) developed the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up program to prevent injury in football. The study's objective was to determine the effect of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program for kids to increase leg muscle strength and balance in youth football (9–12 years old). The study design used a quasi-experiment with one group pretest and post-test design. Thirty participants aged between 9 to 12 years, who were students at a football school, signed informed consent to participate in this study. The FIFA 11+ for kids warm-up program was conducted for 20 min, four times a week, for a month. The data measured static balance by stage with a stroke stand, dynamic balance by a modified bass test, and leg strength by dynamometer, taken two times before and after the program. The data analysis used a paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The study showed an increased static balance (left leg Δ + 8.23) and (right leg Δ + 8.70), dynamic balance (Δ + 5.24), and leg muscle strength (Δ + 23.30), p = 0.00, p ≤ 0.05, between before and after intervention using the FIFA 11+ for kids warm-up program. Therefore, the FIFA 11+ for kid’s warm-up program results in improved static balance, dynamic balance, and leg muscle strength in youth football players.