Outcomes From Use of the Fédération International de Football Association (FIFA) 11⁺ Program With and Without...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the effects of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 11⁺ program with and without transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on proprioception, muscle strength, balance, power, and agility in male high school soccer players. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty players were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=30) receiving FIFA 11⁺ with tDCS or a comparison group (n=30) receiving FIFA 11⁺ with sham stimulation. Both groups trained for 20 minutes and received stimulation for 20 minutes, 3 times weekly for 8 weeks. Proprioception was assessed through joint position sense, muscle strength through quadriceps and hamstring testing, balance through functional reach and Y balance tests, power through vertical and standing long jumps, and agility through the use of the T test and Side-Step Test. The study was registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0011079). RESULTS Within-group pre- and post-intervention changes showed significant improvements in proprioceptive sensation, muscle strength, static balance, dynamic balance, power, and agility in both the experimental and comparison groups (P<0.05). Between-group comparisons revealed that the experimental group showed significantly greater improvements than the comparison group in proprioception, muscle strength, static balance, dynamic balance, power, and agility (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS FIFA 11⁺ combined with tDCS resulted in greater improvements in proprioception, muscle strength, balance, power, and agility than FIFA 11⁺ alone in male high school soccer players. These findings suggest that combining tDCS with the FIFA 11⁺ program may be beneficial for enhancing neuromuscular function and athletic performance.