Publications
Acute effects of the FIFA 11+ warm up protocol on distal mechanical and physiological tissue properties and performance in male and female soccer players
Authors: Patricia Caudet Sanchez 1, Ernest Baiget 2, Abraham Batalla Gavalda 3, 4, 5, Joshua Colomar 6, 7, Francisco Corbi 8
Affiliations:
- National Institute of Physical Education (INEFC), University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- National Institute of Physical Education (INEFC), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- EUSES School University of Health and Sport, Rovira I Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain
- Sport Science Group Research of National Institute of Physical Education (INEFC), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Education and Specific Didactics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Jaume I, Castellon de la Plana, Spain
- Sports and Physical Activity Studies Centre (CEEAF), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
- Sports Performance Analysis Research Group (SPARG), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Journal: The Physician and Sportsmedicine - February 2026 (DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2026.2631370)
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Field & Applications:
- Sport
- Warm-up / Recovery
- Injury prevention
Objective: Soccer is one of the sports with the highest number of injuries in both sexes with a prevalence of 13% around the ankle-foot area. Various strategies have been proposed to prevent injuries like FIFA 11+ warm-up. Its reliability has been questioned due to the diversity of results obtained depending on the movement pattern studied and the body region analyzed. Few studies have analyzed its acute effects on distal structures, such as plantar soft tissue properties, local perfusion or temperature. The objective of this study was to determine the acute effects of performing the FIFA 11+ on mechanical and physiological properties in ankle-foot regions.
Method: The sample included 120 amateur men and women soccer players. Various mechanical properties of the muscle and tendon such as oxygen saturation in the muscle, skin temperature, range of motion of the ankle and maximum isometric force of the toes were analyzed, before and after performing the FIFA 11 +. Results: indicate the absence of significant differences in any of the variables analyzed, except for the mechanical response of the plantar fascia (p < 0.0014).
Conclusion: FIFA 11+ may not provide a sufficiently strong local stimulus to generate mechanical and metabolic responses in the different structures of the foot and ankle, even though it remains an established long-term injury-prevention program. Other warm-up strategies to enhance its effects may consider incorporating.
Keywords: warm-up, foot, ankle, soccer, prevention, injury
We conclude that a single FIFA 11+ warm-up does not produce significant acute effects on the ankle-foot mechanical and physiological variables or on the performance movement patterns. These findings are limited to acute responses in distal regions and do not consider the FIFA 11+ as a long injury prevention program. No influence was observed on specific actions such as jumping, kicking, or changing direction, regardless of sex – except for a change in decrement in the fascia plantae, possibly due to the kind of exercises applied that increases stiffness in this region and enhances windlass mechanics in the foot.
Future studies should explore whether including isometric or higher intensity components may enhance acute responses in distal regions. Given soccer’s inherent unpredictability and varied demands, warm-up routines should emphasize activation through high-intensity tasks such as running, plyometrics, or maximal isometric contractions, which may help overcome some limitations coaches face when implementing FIFA 11+.