Isometric Midthigh-Pull Testing: Reliability and Correlation With Key Functional Capacities in Young Soccer Players.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Human Movement

Background:

• The isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) is a common test in sports.
• Understanding its reliability and correlation with functional capacity is crucial for young athletes.
• Soccer players require specific physical attributes that can be assessed through force testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of force parameters obtained from the IMTP test.
• To determine the correlation between IMTP-derived force parameters and the functional capacities of young soccer players.

Main Methods:

• Twenty young professional soccer players participated in the study.
• Data were collected across two sessions, separated by one week, using a 1000-Hz force plate.
• Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).

Main Results:

• IMTP parameters demonstrated moderate to excellent reliability (ICC = .72–1.00) within and between sessions.
• Peak vertical force (PF) parameters showed good usefulness for detecting performance changes (SWC > SEM).
• PF correlated with countermovement-jump (CMJ) impulse, height, peak power, and intermittent fitness test speed.

Conclusions:

• IMTP parameters are reliable and suitable for testing young soccer players.
• Practitioners should use caution when interpreting time-dependent IMTP variables due to marginal usefulness.
• Higher peak vertical force in IMTP is generally associated with greater vertical power in CMJ performance.