Evaluation of Functional Limitations in Female Soccer Players and Their Relationship with Sports Level – A Cross Sectional Study

The main objective(s) of the study: The aim of this study was to analyze: a) abnormalities in the length of lower limb muscles, b) the correctness of movement patterns, and c) the impact of functional limitations of muscles on the correctness of fundamental movement patterns in a group of female soccer players, in relation to their skill level. Materials and Methods: 21 female soccer players from Polish Ekstraklasa and 22 players from the 1st Division were tested for lower limb muscle length restrictions and level of fundamental movement skills (with the Fundamental Movement ScreenTM test concept by Gray Cook). Chi-square test was used for categorical unrelated variables. Differences between groups in absolute point values were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was set at p,0.05. Results: Statistically significant higher number of measurements indicating an abnormal length of rectus femoris was observed in the 1st Division group (p = 0.0433). In the group of Ekstraklasa the authors obtained a significantly higher number of abnormal hamstring test results (p = 0.0006). Ekstraklasa players scored higher in the rotational stability test of the trunk (p = 0.0008), whereas the 1st Division players scored higher in the following tests: deep squat (p = 0.0220), in-lin