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This systematic review aims to explore the impact of proprioceptive training methods (PTM) on female soccer players, as previous studies have focused mainly on men’s soccer. The review seeks to address the gap in research and consolidate the findings regarding the effectiveness of PTM in women’s soccer.
Proprioception refers to the central nervous system’s sensitivity to feedback from bones, joints, and muscles regarding their position and muscle tension. It’s crucial for body awareness, joint stability, and injury prevention. Proprioceptive training aims to improve body awareness, joint movement, balance, and strengthen ligaments and tendons. These programs, often termed sensorimotor or neuromuscular training, involve exercises like balancing on a board, throwing and catching a ball while standing on one leg, etc.
Soccer requires various skills and movements, making players prone to injuries like sprains and muscle strains. Understanding neuromuscular control and training load is essential for injury prevention. Previous research shows that proprioceptive training can improve ankle stability, reduce injuries, and enhance joint position sense and control. For instance, Hübscher et al. found a 39% reduction in lower extremity injuries with proprioceptive training. It’s been shown to improve proprioception and body control in professional soccer players and prevent lower extremity injuries.
However, most studies focus on male players, leaving a gap in understanding its effects on females. While some research exists on its impact on women’s soccer, results are inconsistent, necessitating a systematic review. This study aims to investigate the effect of proprioceptive training on female soccer players to inform better injury prevention and rehabilitation programs.
This research aimed to examine the effects of proprioceptive training (PTM) on female soccer players’ motor abilities and injury prevention. Results showed PTM had a partial impact, with improvements of 66% in explosive strength and 50% in maximal strength, balance, and flexibility. Additionally, there was a 60% reduction in injuries among female soccer players after the intervention. Overall, PTM interventions of varying duration, intensity, and frequency led to improvements in female soccer players.
The effects of proprioceptive training modalities (PTM) on performance were examined in five studies. Three studies focused on the influence of PTM on strength, particularly explosive strength of the lower extremities. Two of these studies found a positive impact on lower extremity explosive strength, as measured by jump performances, while one study did not observe significant effects. This indicates a success rate of 66% for proprioception’s influence on lower extremity explosive strength in female soccer players. These findings align with previous research suggesting that neuromuscular training improves sports performance in jump tests. However, PTM did not show significant effects on explosive strength of the upper extremities, as expected due to the training focus on lower extremities.
In one study, improvements in quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength of the right leg were observed after PTM, but not in the left leg, indicating a success rate of 50% for proprioception on maximal force of lower extremity muscles. Two studies examined PTM’s impact on balance and flexibility, with one showing significant improvements in these abilities compared to a control group. Another study found no significant effects on balance and flexibility. Overall, PTM had a relative success rate of 50% on balance and flexibility. Only one study investigated PTM’s impact on agility, showing better effects in the intervention group compared to the control.
In conclusion, proprioceptive training partially improves motor performance in female soccer players. However, it may not be sufficient alone and should be combined with other training methods. These conclusions are tentative due to the limited number of studies, especially for motor abilities other than explosive strength, which were examined in only one or two studies, insufficient for definitive conclusions.
Five studies examined the impact of proprioception on injury frequency in female soccer players. Three of them showed a significant reduction in injuries after proprioceptive training, while two did not. Overall, there was about a 60% success rate in reducing injuries among female soccer players through proprioceptive training. Reductions varied from 35% to 400% across the studies. In men’s soccer, balance training drastically reduced anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. However, one study showed a negative effect on major injuries after proprioceptive training, necessitating further investigation into this finding.
Non-contact injuries accounted for 72–73% of total injuries, with proprioceptive training reducing them by 63%. Lower extremity muscle injuries were reduced by 43–90%, except for ankle sprains. Despite this, ankle sprains remain the most common injury among female soccer players. Hours spent on proprioceptive training correlated with injury reduction. Proprioceptive training appears to be a valuable tool in preventing non-contact injuries in female soccer players.
Strengths of the review include providing insights into various levels of proprioceptive training in female soccer players. However, the review’s limitation lies in the small number of studies analyzed. Nonetheless, future research could expand on this study’s findings and conduct a meta-analysis to provide more specific answers regarding proprioceptive training’s effects.
In soccer, building and maintaining lower limb balance and strength through proper training is crucial. Proprioceptive training has proven effective in enhancing athletic performance, reducing muscle injuries, and improving neuromuscular coordination and balance. However, the effectiveness of intervention programs varies, depending on their type and duration. Studies highlight the importance of balance, neuromuscular control, and correct knee alignment in injury prevention. In summary, including proprioceptive training in sports programs is essential for injury prevention and improved performance.
Source:
Stanković, M., Čaprić, I., Katanić, B., Špirtović, O., Maljanović, D., Nailović, H., Muković, I., Jelaska, I., & Trajković, N. (2024). Proprioceptive training methods (PTM) in female soccer players – a systematic review. BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 16(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-024-00892-8