Research summary · Injury prevention
Neuromuscular training and ankle injury risk in football
This analysis evaluates neuromuscular exercise programmes for preventing ankle injuries and improving ankle function in football players.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
- Journal
- Frontiers in Physiology
- Population / context
- Football
What the publication reports
Thirteen randomized trials with 1,476 participants were included. Neuromuscular training was associated with lower ankle-injury risk and better balance and sport-function scores, while everyday-activity scores did not clearly improve.
Limits and interpretation
The injury estimate was heterogeneous and programmes differed in content and delivery. Functional outcomes were not reported consistently, so the review cannot prescribe one universal protocol.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
The impact of neuromuscular training on ankle injury prevention and functional outcomes in football players: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42558293DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2026.1854319Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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