Neuromuscular Training in Football: A Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Neuromuscular training (NT) involves a series of functionally focused exercises that address aspects such as postural stability, sensory perception, and muscle strengthening. These exercises are incorporated as an integral part of a currently used training protocol. Objective: To review the main effects of NT on injury prevention in soccer players and its impact on related physical performance. Methods: Review of the literature describing different studies on NT in soccer. The following databases were used to search and retrieve the scientific articles: PubMed, Scopus, and Ebsco. Combinations of the following keywords were used to perform the search (“neuromuscular training” OR “proprioceptive training” OR “sensorimotor training”) AND (“soccer” OR “football” OR “soccer players” OR “football players”). Results: A positive trend is observed in NT for the prevention of knee and ankle injuries, in addition to improving muscle strength and motor skills such as agility and coordination. Conclusion: This review managed to identify that NT is effective in reducing the risk of injury in soccer players; however, the literature has mainly addressed lower extremity injuries. Therefore, it may be necessary for future investigations to focus on the upper extremity and trunk. Likewise, it was determined that NT has a potential impact on improving physical performance, with the variables of strength, power, speed, agility, and balance being the most studied.