Chakdara

Football is a physically demanding sport that often leads to injuries, especially around the knee and hamstring areas, due to frequent jumping, cutting, and sudden directional changes. Hamstring strains are common among football players and can significantly affect their performance and career length. This research focuses on academy-level male football players in Pakistan, aiming to evaluate injury prevention strategies that address flexibility and neuromuscular control, which are key factors in reducing injury risk. The study compares two groups over six weeks: one group will perform the FIFA 11+ injury prevention program three times weekly, which includes exercises to improve strength, balance, and neuromuscular control, combined with myofascial release therapy applied by a manual therapist to the hamstring area before each session. The control group will continue their usual warm-up routines without the FIFA 11+ exercises. This approach aims to assess whether combining myofascial release with the FIFA 11+ program better improves hamstring flexibility and reduces injury risk. Participants will be assessed before and after the six-week period using injury surveillance forms, muscle strength tests, range of motion measurements, and hop tests to monitor changes. The study will track hamstring flexibility, injury occurrence, and functional performance to understand the combined intervention's effects. This research will provide valuable insights into effective warm-up and injury prevention strategies tailored for young male football players in a local context.