The Effects of an Eight-Week Injury Prevention Program (Modified FIFA 11+ Warm-Up) on Knee Isokinetic Strength among Elite Wrestlers

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Department of Sport Injury and Corrective Movements, School of Sports Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Sport Injury and Corrective Movements, School of Sports Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Sport Injury and Corrective Movements, School of Sports Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Optimal muscle strength is a critical factor influencing performance and reducing injuries among wrestlers. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an eight-week modified FIFA 11+ warm-up program on the isokinetic knee strength of elite wrestlers.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 27 elite wrestlers were selected as participants and divided into two groups: training (n = 13) and control (n = 14). The training group performed the modified FIFA 11+ warm-up program for 8 weeks, which included aerobic, stretching, plyometric, strength, balance, and speed activities. The control group continued their traditional training routines. The strength of the knee flexor and extensor muscles and the flexor-to-extensor strength ratio were assessed using a Biodex Isokinetic System Pro3 at pre-test and post-test phases. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software (P < 0.05).
Findings: The results of this study indicated that concentric strength of the knee flexor muscles at both angular velocities of 60°/s and 120°/s (P = 0.001), eccentric strength of the knee flexor muscles at 60°/s (P = 0.044) and 120°/s (P = 0.003), and both concentric (P = 0.002) and eccentric (P = 0.003) strength of the knee extensor muscles at 120°/s were significantly greater in the post-test compared to the control group. Furthermore, the hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio was notably higher in the post-test compared to the control group (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: The modified FIFA 11+ program increased knee strength factors, so it can be recommended that they be incorporated into warm-up routines to enhance strength and performance and also potentially contribute to injury prevention.

Highlights

Nader Rahnama: Google Scholar, PubMed

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Telles TCB, Machado RPT. Wrestling, boxing and pankration: introducing the'heavy events' in Ancient Olympic Games. Olimpianos-Journal of Olympic Studies 2022; 6: 251-67.
  2. Deliceoğlu G, Tortu E, Kaya S. Comparison of physical performance profiles in freestyle and Greco-Romen wrestlers. Physical Education of Students 2022; 26(6): 280-7.
  3. Matkarimov R, Korobeynikov G, Tropin Y, Biletska V, Curby D, Dokmanac M, et al. Indicators of Spectacle in wrestling at the 2021 Olympic games. Slobozhanskyi Herald of Science and Sport 2024; 28(1): 38-43.
  4. Shamshirian S, Halldorsson V. Collective sports success through effective social performances: The case of Olympic wrestling in Iran. International Review for the Sociology of Sport 2024; 278-98.
  5. Can S, Demirkan E, Arıcı M, Tosun Mİ, Cicioğlu Hİ. The surveillance and assessment of acute injuries in different age categories in national wrestling championships. Chinese Journal of Traumatology. 2024.
  6. Koźlenia D, Kochan-Jacheć K. The impact of interaction between body posture and movement pattern quality on injuries in amateur athletes. J Clin Med 2024; 13(5): 1456.
  7. Agel J, Ransone J, Dick R, Oppliger R, Marshall SW. Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate men's wrestling injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988–1989 through 2003–2004. J Athl Train 2007; 42(2): 303-10.
  8. Ford K, Schaver AL, Leary S, Keith JN, Westermann RW. Return to sport after knee injuries in collegiate wrestling. Iowa Orthop J 2023; 43(1): 131-5.
  9. Caine D, Caine C, Maffulli N. Incidence and distribution of pediatric sport-related injuries. Clin J Sport Med 2006; 16(6): 500-13.
  10. Barbas I, Gioftsidou A, Gkrekidis T, Makri E, Malliou P, Beneka A. The effects of wrestling+ injury prevention program on lower limbs strength and balance. Proceedings of the 2nd All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation "Extrability as a phenomenon of inclusive culture: formation of inclusive culture in organizations" Yekaterinburg: Azhur; 2020.
  11. Babaei Jafari M, Barati A, Akoochakian M, Alizadeh MH. Investigate the effect of a comprehensive warm-up program on the functional movement patterns and landing error of young male wrestlers. Physical Treatments-Specific Physical Therapy Journal 2024; 14(3): 201-16.
  12. Al Attar WSA, Faude O, Bizzini M, Alarifi S, Alzahrani H, Almalki RS, et al. The FIFA 11+ Shoulder Injury Prevention Program Was Effective in Reducing Upper Extremity Injuries Among Soccer Goalkeepers: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Sports Med 2021; 49(9): 2293-300.
  13. Bizzini M, Junge A, Dvorak J. 11+ Manual. A complete warm-up programme to prevent injuries Zurich: FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre. 2011.
  14. Ferreira-Júnior JB, da Encarnação IGA, Rezende VHS, Oliveira JCG, Souza LA, Assunção JC, et al. Effects of different intensities of FIFA 11+ on physical performance of U-15 soccer players. Apunts Sports Medicine 2023; 58(219): 100419.
  15. Lotia K, Vyas S, Sheth M. The effects of FIFA11+ warm up program on core endurance, sprint performance and balance in under-21 football players. International Journal of Physical Education Sports and Health 2023; 10(2): 170-5.
  16. Seyedi M, Zarei M, Daneshjoo A, Rajabi R, Shirzad E, Mozafaripour E, et al. Effects of FIFA 11+ warm-up program on kinematics and proprioception in adolescent soccer players: a parallel‑group randomized control trial. Sci Rep 2023; 13(1): 5527.
  17. Barengo NC, Meneses-Echávez JF, Ramírez-Vélez R, Cohen DD, Tovar G, Bautista JEC. The impact of the FIFA 11+ training program on injury prevention in football players: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014; 11(11): 11986-2000.
  18. Chaabene H, Negra Y, Bouguezzi R, Mkaouer B, Franchini E, Julio U, et al. Physical and physiological attributes of wrestlers: an update. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31(5): 1411-42.
  19. Sabillah MI, Nasrulloh A, Yuniana R. The effect of plyometric exercise and leg muscle strength on the power limb of wrestling athletes. J Phys Educ 2022; 22(6): 1403-11.
  20. Tatlici A, Lima Y, Çiftçi B, Aktas S, Badak T. The effect of 8-weeks wrestling training on unilateral muscle imbalances. Phys Educ Stud 2021;25(4):205-11.
  21. Ölmez C. The investigation of isokinetic knee strength and muscle balance of taekwondo and wrestling athletes. Turk J Kinesiol 022; 8(4): 107-14.
  22. Richardson E, Lewis JS, Gibson J, Morgan C, Halaki M, Ginn K, et al. Role of the kinetic chain in shoulder rehabilitation: does incorporating the trunk and lower limb into shoulder exercise regimes influence shoulder muscle recruitment patterns? BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2020; 6(1): e000683.
  23. Bayati R, Shamsi Majelan A, Mirzaei B, Barbas I. The Effect of 12 weeks of wrestling+ warm-up program on functional movement screen scores in cadet wrestlers. Ann Appl Sport Sci 2019; 7(1): 39-47.
  24. Daneshjoo A, Mokhtar A, Rahnama N, Yusof A. The effects of injury prevention warm-up programmes on knee strength in male soccer players. Biol Sport 2013; 30(4): 281-8.
  25. Zareeii M, Johari K. The effect of “FIFA+ 11 kids” injury prevention program on isokinetic strength of the knee extensor and flexor muscles in young children football players [in Persian]. Journal for Research in Sport Rehabilitation 2017; 5(10): 19-27.
  26. Ghareeb DM, McLaine AJ, Wojcik JR, Boyd JM. Effects of two warm-up programs on balance and isokinetic strength in male high school soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31(2): 372-9.
  27. Impellizzeri FM, Bizzini M, Dvorak J, Pellegrini B, Schena F, Junge A. Physiological and performance responses to the FIFA 11+(part 2): a randomised controlled trial on the training effects. J Sports Sci 2013; 31(13): 1491-502.
  28. Ghahramani MH, Agha-Alinejhad H, Molanouri Shamsi M. Effect of different concurrent training protocols on muscle strength, serum testosterone and cortisol level in young wrestlers. Journal of Applied Health Studies in Sport Physiology 2022; 9(1): 1-11.
  29. de Araujo Ribeiro Alvares JB, Rodrigues R, de Azevedo Franke R, da Silva BGC, Pinto RS, Vaz MA, et al. Inter-machine reliability of the Biodex and Cybex isokinetic dynamometers for knee flexor/extensor isometric, concentric and eccentric tests. Phys Ther Sport 2015; 16(1): 59-65.
  30. Drouin JM, Valovich-mcLeod TC, Shultz SJ, Gansneder BM, Perrin DH. Reliability and validity of the Biodex system 3 pro isokinetic dynamometer velocity, torque and position measurements. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91(1): 22-9.
  31. van Melick N, Meddeler BM, Hoogeboom TJ, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MW, van Cingel RE. How to determine leg dominance: The agreement between self-reported and observed performance in healthy adults. PLoS One 2017; 12(12): e0189876.
  32. Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Magnusson SP, Larsson B, Dyhre-Poulsen P. A new concept for isokinetic hamstring: quadriceps muscle strength ratio. Am J Sports Med 1998; 26(2): 231-7.
  33. Brito J, Figueiredo P, Fernandes L, Seabra A, Soares JM, Krustrup P, et al. Isokinetic strength effects of FIFA's" The 11+" injury prevention training programme. Isokinetics and Exercise Science 2010; 18(4): 211-5.
  34. Jones Jr SD, Safran MR. Current Concepts: The Kinetic Chain/Hip/Core and Its Relation to the Overhead Athlete. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2024; 33(2): 450-6.
  35. Dunn EC, Humberstone CE, Franchini E, Iredale KF, Blazevich AJ. Relationships between punch impact force and upper-and lower-body muscular strength and power in highly trained amateur boxers. J Strength Cond Res 2022; 36(4): 1019-25.
  36. Lopes M, Rodrigues JM, Monteiro P, Rodrigues M, Costa R, Oliveira J, et al. Effects of the FIFA 11+ on ankle evertors latency time and knee muscle strength in amateur futsal players. Eur J Sport Sci 2020; 20(1): 24-34.
  37. Sadeghipour HR, Rahnama NR, Daneshjoo A, Bambaeichi E. The effect of Fifa 11+ injury prevention program on hamstrings and quadriceps isometric muscle strength in Iranian young professional soccer players [in Persian]. J Res Rehabil Sci 2013; 8(5): 1113-22.
  38. Islam MS, Rahman MH, Mola DW, Adane AK, Pramanik TN. Nordic hamstring curls are a remedy for hamstring muscle injury: A narrative review. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences 2024; 12(4): 692-8.
  39. Oxfeldt M, Overgaard K, Hvid LG, Dalgas U. Effects of plyometric training on jumping, sprint performance, and lower body muscle strength in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta‐analyses. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2019; 29(10): 1453-65.
  40. Arsenis S, Gioftsidou A, Ispyrlidis I, Kyranoudis A, Pafis G, Malliou P, et al. Effects of the FIFA 11+ injury prevention program on lower limb strength and balance. Journal of Physical Education and Sport 2020; 20(2): 592-8.
  41. Zhou X, Luo A, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Zha Y, Wang S, et al. The effect of fifa 11+ on the isometric strength and running ability of young soccer players. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19(20): 13186.
  42. Polat SC, Cetin E, Yarim I, Bulgay C, Cicioglu HI. Effect of ballistic warm-up on isokinetic strength, balance, agility, flexibility and speed in elite freestyle wrestlers. Sport Mont 2018; 16(3): 85-9.
  43. Tortop Y. Güreşci ve Futbolcuların Quadriceps ve Hamstring Kas Kuvvetlerinin İzokinetik Sistemle Değerlendirilmesi ve Sakatlık Eğilimlerinin Araştırılması. [online]. Available from: URL: https://acikerisim.aku.edu.tr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11630/4003/243236.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  44. Clanton TO, Coupe KJ. Hamstring strains in athletes: diagnosis and treatment. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 1998; 6(4): 237-48.
  45. Fousekis K, Tsepis E, Vagenas G. Lower limb strength in professional soccer players: profile, asymmetry, and training age. J Sports Sci Med 2010; 9(3): 364-73.
  46. Chimera NJ, Swanik KA, Swanik CB, Straub SJ. Effects of plyometric training on muscle-activation strategies and performance in female athletes. J Athl Train 2004; 39(1): 24-31.