A neuromuscular training program enhances dynamic neuromuscular control and physical performance in court‐sport athletes

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8‐week neuromuscular training protocol on dynamic neuromuscular control and physical performance. Twenty female court‐sport athletes were randomly allocated to two groups, a control (n = 10) and an intervention group (n = 10). All participants performed pre‐testing inclusive of a 20‐m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), Illinois agility test, and the qualitative analysis of a single‐leg squat (QASLS), which is an assessment of dynamic neuromuscular control. Subsequently the intervention group engaged in a modified version of the FIFA 11+ neuromuscular training program twice weekly for 8 weeks. At post‐testing, there were between‐group differences in CMJ (intervention; +3.96‐cm vs control; −1.36‐cm, P = .003) and QASLS for both legs (P < .001) (right leg, intervention; pre: 3.75, post: 1.91, and control; pre: 4.11, post: 4.08) (left leg, intervention; pre: 3.72, post: 0.98, and control; pre: 4.05, post: 4.23). There was a within‐group improvement in 20‐m sprint for the intervention group only post‐training (pre: 3.69‐seconds; post: 3.60‐seconds, P = .043), while no differences occurred in Illinois agility test for either group. A modified FIFA 11+ protocol can be considered an effective neuromuscular training program for enhancing dynamic neuromuscular control and sport‐specific physical performance in female court‐sport athletes.