The Effects of a Modified FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Protocol on Fitness Variables in Middle School Students

Introduction:Lower extremity injuries, specifically anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are prevalent in adolescent sports. The FIFA 11+ injury-prevention program has been shown to decrease lower extremity injuries in several sports settings. There is limited literature regarding the effects of the FIFA 11+ on fitness variables, especially among middle school students. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate if a modified FIFA 11+ warm-up protocol has any effect on cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and flexibility at two Vermont middle schools with different physical education class schedules. Methods:Outcome data was obtained from the FitnessGram assessment, which all Vermont middle schools utilize to track youth fitness trends. The effects of the modified warm-up protocol on cardiovascular endurance (PACER test), muscular endurance (curl-up test), and flexibility (sit-and-reach) were analyzed using FitnessGram data from Williston Central School (WCS) and Shelburne Community School (SCS). Results:Statistical analysis for WCS comparing data throughout the intervention year demonstrated a significant decrease in PACER score (p Discussion:The results of this study indicate that utilization of a prolonged injury-prevention warm-up program in lieu of the warm-up traditionally completed at each middle school may have a deleterious effect on some performance-related outcomes. It is important to note that this is a small, retrospective investigation and is hypothesis-generating; however, a larger-scale randomized controlled trial should be performed to validate these findings. This information may be used to alter the modified FIFA 11+ warm-up protocol to be effective in both injury prevention and improving fitness among middle schoolers