Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether a 6-month neuromuscular warm-up programme could improve muscle power, balance, speed and agility.

DESIGN:

Cluster randomised controlled study.

SETTING:

27 top level female floorball teams in Finland.

PARTICIPANTS:

222 players (mean age 24 years); 119 in the intervention group and 103 in the control group were followed-up for one league season (6 months).

INTERVENTION:

A neuromuscular warm-up programme included sports-specific running technique, balance, jumping and strengthening exercises. The teams were advised to use the programme 1-3 times per week through the league season. One training session took approximately 25 min.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Performance tests were assessed before and after the 6-month intervention and included static jump, countermovement jump, jumping over a bar, standing on a bar and figure-of-eight running.

RESULTS:

At 6 months, significant between-group differences were found in two outcome measures: jumping over a bar (number of jumps in 15 s) and standing on a bar (number of balance losses in 60 s). These differences were 2.3 jumps (95% CI 0.8 to 3.8, p = 0.003), favouring the intervention group, and -0.4 balance losses (95% CI -0.8 to 0.0, p = 0.050), again in favour of the intervention group.

CONCLUSION:

A neuromuscular warm-up programme improved the floorball players' sideways jumping speed and static balance. The exercises were also safe to perform and can thus be recommended for weekly training of floorball players.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:

ISRCTN26550281.