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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Nov;43(11):2628-37.
doi: 10.1177/0363546515602009. Epub 2015 Sep 16.

Efficacy of the FIFA 11+ Injury Prevention Program in the Collegiate Male Soccer Player

Holly Silvers-Granelli  1 , Bert Mandelbaum  2 , Ola Adeniji  3 , Stephanie Insler  3 , Mario Bizzini  4 , Ryan Pohlig  5 , Astrid Junge  4 , Lynn Snyder-Mackler  6 , Jiri Dvorak  4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Efficacy of the FIFA 11+ Injury Prevention Program in the Collegiate Male Soccer Player

Holly Silvers-Granelli et al. Am J Sports Med. 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Background: The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 11+ program has been shown to be an effective injury prevention program in the female soccer cohort, but there is a paucity of research to demonstrate its efficacy in the male population.

Hypothesis: To examine the efficacy of the FIFA 11+ program in men's collegiate United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and Division II soccer.

Study design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods: Before the commencement of the fall 2012 season, every NCAA Division I and Division II men's collegiate soccer team (N = 396) was solicited to participate in this research study. Human ethics review board approval was obtained through Quorum Review IRB. Sixty-five teams were randomized: 34 to the control group (CG; 850 players) and 31 to the intervention group (IG; 675 players). Four teams in the IG did not complete the study, reducing the number for analysis to 61. The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program served as the intervention and was utilized weekly. Athlete-exposures (AEs), compliance, and injury data were recorded using a secure Internet-based system.

Results: In the CG, 665 injuries (mean ± SD, 19.56 ± 11.01) were reported for 34 teams, which corresponded to an incidence rate (IR) of 15.04 injuries per 1000 AEs. In the IG, 285 injuries (mean ± SD, 10.56 ± 3.64) were reported for 27 teams, which corresponded to an IR of 8.09 injuries per 1000 AEs. Total days missed because of injury were significantly higher for the CG (mean ± SD, 13.20 ± 26.6 days) than for the IG (mean ± SD, 10.08 ± 14.68 days) (P = .007). There was no difference for time loss due to injury based on field type (P = .341).

Conclusion: The FIFA 11+ significantly reduced injury rates by 46.1% and decreased time loss to injury by 28.6% in the competitive male collegiate soccer player (rate ratio, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.49-0.59]; P < .0001) (number needed to treat = 2.64).

Keywords: FIFA 11+; epidemiology; injury prevention; neuromuscular training.

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Conflict of interest statement

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Description of National Collegiate Athletic Association team randomization and study flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Injury rate per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) classified by type and stratified by group.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Injury rates in relationship to compliance with the FIFA 11+ program. AE, athlete-exposure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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