Efficacy of the FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Programme in Male Youth Football: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

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416 male youth football (soccer) players in Africa were randomized to evaluate the injury-prevention efficacy of the FIFA11+ programme, when compared against routine training over 6 months. Players were evaluated primarily based on time-loss injury to players, injuries by type of exposure (match or training) and all injuries to lower extremities (LE), along with further injury analysis. The evidence presented in this trial demonstrated that FIFA11+ players sustained an overall reduction rate of injury of 41%, and a reduction in lower extremity injury of 48%. Injury incidence was significantly lowered in FIFA11+ players compared to those in the control group with the exception of injury sustained during training- which was similar between groups. Other evaluated outcomes such as injury by body location, mechanism, and severity indicated no significant differences between groups but FIFA11+ players exhibited better results.