The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 11+ and 11+ Kids injury prevention programs have shown success in reducing overall injury risk in soccer players, yet their specific impact on head and neck injuries remains inadequately explored.
Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of FIFA 11+ and 11+ Kids injury prevention programs in reducing the incidence of head and neck injuries among soccer players.
Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, 2 investigators independently conducted searches in databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and PEDro) using keywords like "FIFA 11+," "football," "soccer," and "injury prevention." Only randomized controlled trials assessing FIFA 11+ programs in soccer players were included. Data analysis used the random effects model with RevMan Meta-Analysis software (version 5).
Results: Among 397 studies, 4 met inclusion criteria. Pooled results from 7109 players and 532,341 exposure hours indicated a significant 40% reduction in head and neck injuries per 1000 hours of exposure in the intervention group compared to the control group (injury risk ratio 0.60, 95% CI, 0.41-0.88).
Conclusion: Implementing FIFA 11+ injury prevention programs significantly reduces the risk of head and neck injuries in soccer players, offering a compelling alternative to traditional warm-ups. This study contributes valuable evidence for optimizing injury prevention strategies in soccer training regimens.
Keywords: concussion prevention; injury prevention strategies; neck stabilization exercises; neuromuscular training programs; soccer head injuries.