Soccer flexibility

While researchers and practitioners attribute an essential role to executive functions (EFs) for soccer performance, the usefulness of respective diagnostics and the predictive value remain unclear. One limitation restricting the translation and relevance of study results to improve actual game performance is the insufficient consideration of competitive conditions. Thus, this study aimed to conduct soccer-specific cognitive diagnostics under a soccer-specific psychophysiological stress condition, mimicing the demands of a competitive game...

We aimed to examine the effects of Ramadan fasting (RF) and high-intensity short-term maximal performance on elite soccer players' shooting accuracy, executive function (EF), and perceptions. Sixteen Muslim elite players fasting during Ramadan underwent assessments before (BR), during (DR), and after Ramadan (AR). Soccer-specific technical performance was evaluated using the Loughborough Soccer Shooting Test (LSST) before and after a 5-metre shuttle run test (5mSRT), conducted at the same time-of-day (17:00 h)...

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have reported that proprioceptive training methods (PTM) have positive effects, there is a relatively small number of studies regarding the impact of PTM in women's soccer. Therefore, there is a need to systematize the given results. In this regard, this systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of proprioceptive training methods in female soccer players. METHODS: The studies' search and analysis were done according to the PRISMA guidelines...

OBJECTIVES: To describe the perceptions of physiotherapists and the injury prevention practices implemented within elite women's football clubs in Brazil. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Online survey. PARTICIPANTS: Head physiotherapists from 32 Brazilian elite clubs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Physiotherapists identified ACL rupture as the primary target for prevention...

This work reports a highly-strain flexible fiber sensor with a core-shell structure utilizes a unique swelling diffusion technique to infiltrate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the surface layer of Ecoflex fibers. Compared with traditional blended Ecoflex/CNTs fibers, this manufacturing process ensures that the sensor maintains the mechanical properties (923% strain) of the Ecoflex fiber while also improving sensitivity (gauge factor is up to 3716). By adjusting the penetration time during fabrication, the sensor can be customized for different uses...

INTRODUCTION: Executive functions (EFs) are relevant for game performance in soccer and have been investigated in previous research. However, emotions are a well-known performance factor in sport competitions, which may affect performance by means of EFs. The diagnostic of EFs has mainly been performed disregarding the potential impact of emotional states. Thus, we aimed to initially analyze interaction between emotional states and EFs in two studies with male youth elite soccer players...

The unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis severely disrupted global sports in 2020, prompting lengthy suspensions followed by resumed competitions under abnormal behind-closed-doors conditions without fans. These disruptions necessitated tactical adaptations by coaches and teams, attempting to still achieve successful outcomes. This study investigates the pandemic's impacts on performance metrics and indicators within Spanish professional soccer. Utilizing systematic notational analysis, 760 match cases from the 2019-2020 La Liga season were examined, comprising 27 matchdays from the pre-COVID context and 11 after resumption...

Previous training studies with comprehensive stretching durations have reported that an increase in range of motion (ROM) can be related to decreases in muscle stiffness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the association between the passive muscle stiffness of three muscle groups (triceps surae, quadriceps, hamstrings) to the respective joint ROM. Thirty-six healthy male soccer players volunteered in this study. After a standardized warm-up, the muscle stiffness was tested via shear wave elastography in six muscles (gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris long head)...

BACKGROUND: Hamstring strain injuries remain a challenge for both athletes and clinicians given the high incidence rate, slow healing, and persistent symptoms. Increased tension in the neural structures is a known causative factor for hamstring tightness for which neural mobilization has emerged as a significant adjunct to routine stretching techniques. OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term effects of neural sliding and neural tensioning on hamstring length in male recreational soccer players with hamstring tightness...

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have attempted to determine if certain risk factors can predict the occurrence of a lateral ankle sprain (LAS) in female soccer players. Unfortunately, there is limited evidence with regard to risk factors associated with an LAS in female soccer players. PURPOSE: To identify intrinsic risk factors for an LAS among young female soccer players. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Participants were 161 young female soccer players in Japan who were evaluated for LAS risk factors during a preseason medical assessment...

Purpose : This study is aimed to determine specific bilateral lower extremity motor performances and coordination patterns in soccer players with healthy controls using the bilateral force control paradigm. We hypothesized that soccer players would show more advanced bilateral force control performances than untrained controls. Methods : Participants were 13 university soccer players and 13 healthy controls. Each group performed bilateral ankle dorsiflexion force control tasks across two vision conditions (i...

INTRODUCTION: Soccer is considered a multifaceted collective sport, and to reach an elevated level, players must have moderate to high power, good agility, joint flexibility and muscle development. Also, players must be able to generate high torques during fast movements, which implies the development of different capacities, understood as multifactorial preparation. The objective was to analyse the effects of training (aerobic and continuous) on the leg power, fatigue levels, speed, agility, body fat, muscle mass and bone mass of these players...

Controlled assembly of nanoparticles into well-defined assembled architectures through precise manipulation of spatial arrangement and interactions allows the development of advanced mesoscale materials with tailored structures, hierarchical functionalities, and enhanced properties. Despite remarkable advancements, the controlled assembly of highly anisotropic 2Dnanosheets is significantly challenging, primarily due to the limited availability of selective edge-to-edge connectivity compared to the abundant large faces...

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the effect of kinesio tape (KT) applied to different parts of the body on speed, agility and flexibility. METHOD: 32 male volunteers aged 18-38 years participated in the study. KT was applied to the quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles of the athletes at 4 different times with intervals of one week. As measurements, 30-meter sprint test, agility T test and sit and reach test for flexibility were performed. Independent samples T-Test and Mann Whitney U test, repeated measures analysis of variance and the Friedman test were used for statistical analysis...

Objective: a) to verify whether body composition and physical fitness should be analyzed by chronological age and/or maturity stage in young Brazilian soccer players and b) to propose reference values for the evaluation of body composition and physical fitness by maturity stage in elite soccer players. Methods: A descriptive-correlational study was carried out in 206 young Brazilian soccer players (11-16 years old). The sample selection was non-probabilistic by convenience. Weight and standing height were evaluated...

The aims of the study were to build models using logistic regression analysis of flexibility and strength tests to prospectively predict risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament tear (ACL-tear) in female soccer (FS) players, and to determine training cut-off for risk factors of the predictive model built. A prospective cohort study of 95 female players (aged 14-33 years) was conducted. Age, anthropometric data, soccer history, lower limb range of motion (ROM) and hip maximal isometric strength (MIS) were measured...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: There is little research on the effectiveness of new approaches to psychology, including mindfulness-acceptance-commitment, especially in team disciplines. Therefore, this study compared mindfulness-acceptance and commitment-based approaches to rumination, cognitive flexibility, and sports performance of elite beach soccer players during a two-month follow-up. METHODS: The research design consisted of a randomized controlled trial (RCT), with follow-up...

BACKGROUND: The ability to rapidly change direction while sprinting is a desirable athletic skill in soccer. Enhancing change of direction (COD) performance depends almost exclusively on specific training, with stretching traditionally considered one such intervention. However, the comparative impact of diverse stretching methods on COD in soccer players remains an area of interest. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of different stretching methods on COD ability in soccer players...

Children have a robust social preference for people similar to them, like those who share their language, accent, and race. In the present research, we show that this preference can diminish when children consider who they want to learn about. Across three experiments, 4- to 6-year-olds (total N = 160; 74 female, 86 male, from the Waterloo region in Canada, a predominantly White and middle-class region) and adults ( N = 103) saw pairs of characters. One character was from nearby and had characteristics typical of the participating child's location (e...

Lately, interest in both domain-specific and domain-general cognitive processes has increased as a means to explain soccer player expertise. While the two types of processes have mostly been studied separately, we sought to connect these lines of research by investigating the role of executive functions in soccer players' decision making from a developmental perspective. As these cognitive processes as well as their relation might differ between age groups, we took a developmental perspective to better understand this link in a sample of N = 128 soccer players (Mage  = 10...