Active primitive reflexes obstruct tactical and technical skills in football players

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sports Science
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Primitive reflexes (PRs) are innate, involuntary motor responses crucial in early development.
• Typically, PRs integrate and are superseded by voluntary motor control during childhood.
• Persistent PRs beyond infancy can negatively impact motor and cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the persistence of primitive reflexes and the performance of tactical (TaS) and technical skills (TeS) in professional football.
• To determine if active PRs correlate with diminished on-field performance metrics in young male football players.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-eight male football players (age 17.5 ± 1.4 years) from a French academy were assessed for the presence of active PRs.
• Players were categorized into 'active PR' or 'inactive PR' groups based on reflex assessment.
• Performance data from twenty professional matches were analyzed, focusing on TaS and TeS, including passing, defensive actions, and duels.

Main Results:

• Players with active PRs demonstrated significantly lower success rates in both TaS and TeS.
• Specifically, active PRs were associated with 15.5% lower pass success in imbalance zones and 31.8% lower in finishing zones (p < 0.01).
• Active PRs also correlated with poorer performance in defensive actions and duels (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Persistent primitive reflexes significantly hinder football performance, particularly in demanding match situations like duels and crowded areas.
• The findings suggest a need for targeted training interventions to mitigate the effects of active PRs and improve player capabilities.
• Further research is recommended to refine assessment and integration methods for PRs in sports training programs.