Athletic Performance Enhancement
Conditions
Keywords
Myofascial lines, superficial posterior line, spiral line, Bunkie test, range of motion
Brief summary
This study compared the effects of two myofascial chain training programs - the Superficial Posterior Line (PL) and the Spiral Line (SL) - on joint mobility and myofascial isometric endurance in adolescent male football players. Thirty-eight licensed male players (ages 15-16) were enrolled in a randomized crossover trial consisting of two 6-week training phases (12 weeks total), with follow-up measurements at week 16. Each program was delivered twice weekly in 30-minute sessions alongside regular club training. Joint mobility was assessed using goniometry (shoulder flexion, hip flexion, hip extension, popliteal angle), and myofascial isometric endurance was evaluated using the Bunkie Test across five lines (APL, PPL, PSL, LSL, MSL).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSuperficial Posterior Line (PL) Myofascial Training
6-week myofascial training program targeting the posterior chain (plantar fascia, gastrocnemius, hamstrings, erector spinae). Two 30-minute sessions per week.
BEHAVIORALSpiral Line (SL) Myofascial Training
6-week myofascial training program targeting the spiral chain (rhomboids, serratus anterior, obliques, ITB, fibularis longus). Two 30-minute sessions per week.
Sponsors
Mersin University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male, aged 15-16 years (U15-U16 category) * Holding an active football player license and currently competing with a club team * Regularly participating in routine club training sessions * Free from any injury or musculoskeletal condition that could affect -performance testing at the time of enrollment * Parental/legal guardian consent and participant assent obtained
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of any musculoskeletal injury, recent surgery, or medical condition affecting lower-limb function within the past 6 months * Inability to attend the required training sessions or assessment time points * Unwillingness or inability of parents/legal guardians to provide informed consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Myofascial Isometric Endurance (Bunkie Test) | Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16 | Isometric endurance of five myofascial lines (APL, PPL, PSL, LSL, MSL) assessed in seconds using the Bunkie Test protocol. |
| Shoulder Flexion Range of Motion | Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16 | degrees |
| Hip Flexion Range of Motion | Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16 | degrees |
| Hip Extension Range of Motion | Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16 | degrees |
| Popliteal Angle | Baseline, Week 6, Week 12, and Week 16 | degrees |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed