Effects of special exercise programs on functional movement screen scores and injury prevention in preprofessional young football players

Abstract

To increase movement capacity and to reduce injury risk in young soccer players by implementing a special functional exercise program based on functional movement screen (FMS) and correctives. 67 young male athletes 14–19 years of age from a Super League Football Club Academy participated in the study. Functional movement patterns were evaluated with FMS assessment protocol. Deep squat, hurdle step, inline lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotatory stability were examined in FMS. Considering the FMS scores the number of intervention and control groups were defined as 24 and 43, respectively. Intervention program was composed of 1 hr twice a week sessions in total of 12 weeks with 4 weeks of mobility, 4 weeks of stability, and 4 weeks of integration exercises. At the end of 12-week intervention and control groups were re-evaluated with FMS protocol. Contact and noncontact sports injuries recorded during one season. In intervention group there was statistically significant difference in increase in total FMS scores (P<0.01), deep squat (P≤0.001), hurdle step (P<0.05), inline lunge (P<0.01), and trunk stability push-up (P<0.01). In control group total FMS, deep squat, and trunk stability push-up scores increased with a statistical difference (P<0.01, P<0.05, P≤0.01, respectively). The incidence of noncontact injury in control group was higher than intervention group (P<0.05). Periodic movement screening and proper corrections with functional training is valuable in order to create better movement capacity to build better physical performance and more effective injury prevention.