Effects of an Elastic Band Warm-Up on Sprint and Vertical Jump Performance in Female Football Players

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07316881

University Institute of Maia22 enrolled

Overview

This study aims to examine the acute effects of an elastic band warm-up on sprinting and vertical jump performance in female football players. A crossover design will be used across three separate sessions: (1) standardized warm-up (WU), (2) warm-up followed by elastic band activation (WU + EB), and (3) elastic band activation followed by the warm-up (EB + WU). Performance evaluations-including sprint time and vertical jump height and power-will be conducted at three time points during each session: baseline (before the warm-up), immediately after the warm-up intervention, and 10 minutes post-intervention. This structure will allow the study to compare the immediate and short-term effects of different warm-up sequences involving elastic bands on neuromuscular performance. The findings may help optimize warm-up strategies to enhance acute athletic performance in female football players.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Physical Performance Parameters

Interventions

2 minutes jogging and 4x30m side run; dynamic stretching for main locomotive lower limb muscles (2x10 hip adduction, 2x10 hip abduction, 2x10 butt kicks, 2x10 knee raises and 2x10 straight leg march), dynamic strength exercises (2x10 deep squats, and 2x10 forward lunges); incremental intermittent sprints and agility runs as follow: 2x10m pace, 2x20m pace, 2x30m pace, 1x30m with 10 decelerations (both feet), 1x30m with 10 decelerations (one foot), 2x30m with 4 changes of direction pace (90˚), 1x20m full pace and 1x30m full pace. The total time ofthe WU will be approximately 15 minutes.

Elastic Band ExercisesOTHER

Squats (10 reps), Hip Flexion (10 reps, each leg), Hip Extension (10 reps, each leg), Hip Abduction (10 reps, each leg), Hip Flexion with Knee Flexion (10 reps, each leg), Cross Walks (10 reps, forth and back) (All exercises are with elastic bands looped around the lower limbs)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Vertical jump

Jump height and power will be evaluated using force plates (ForceDecks, Vald). The players will perform the countermovement jump, where they will begin from an upright position; a rapid downward movement to a knee angle of ∼90°, immediately transitioning to propel themselves upwards into the air.

Time frame: The evaluations will be conducted at baseline (before the warm-up), immediately after the warm-up intervention, and 10 minutes post-intervention.

Sprint Speed

Sprint performance will be measured over 10 m and 20 m using photocell timing gates (Microgate). Players will begin from a standardized starting position, with the front foot placed 50 cm behind the first timing gate. Upon their own cue, athletes will accelerate maximally through the course, ensuring consistent running mechanics while crossing both the 10-m and 20-m gates at full speed for accurate measurement of short-distance sprint times.