By Ana Espino | Published on June 18, 2026 | 4 min read
Football is the most widely played sport among children and
adolescents worldwide. While it promotes physical fitness and social
development, it also exposes young players to a significant risk of injury,
particularly involving the lower limbs. Ankle sprains, knee injuries, muscle
strains, and contact-related trauma are common causes of time lost from sport
and may sometimes have long-term consequences for both health and athletic
participation.
Over the past several years, various injury prevention
programs have been developed to reduce these risks, including FIFA 11+, FIFA
11+ Kids, and other neuromuscular training protocols. However, evidence
specifically focusing on children and adolescents has remained fragmented. To
evaluate their effectiveness more precisely, Chinese researchers conducted a
meta-analysis pooling data from randomized controlled trials involving young
football players.
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Nearly a 40% Reduction in Injury Risk
The authors analyzed nine randomized controlled trials
involving more than 16,600 young players aged 3 to 18 years, representing over
1.2 million hours of football exposure. The prevention programs generally
combined balance, coordination, muscle strengthening, postural control, and
plyometric exercises performed during warm-up sessions.
Results showed that these programs significantly reduced
the overall risk of injury. Players who participated in an injury prevention
program experienced approximately a 38% reduction in injury incidence compared
with control groups (IRR = 0.62).
Benefits were also observed across several specific
injury categories:
- 32%
reduction in lower-limb injuries
- 33%
reduction in knee injuries
- 28%
reduction in ankle sprains
Researchers also observed a reduction in muscle
injuries, as well as a favorable trend for hip and groin injuries, although the
available evidence remains insufficient to confirm these effects with
certainty. Both contact and non-contact injuries also appeared to be less
frequent among players participating in preventive training programs.
Age-stratified analyses further suggested that the benefits
were even greater among children under 13 years of age than among adolescents.
The authors propose that this enhanced response may be related to greater
neuromuscular plasticity and generally lower training loads in younger
athletes.
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Integrating Prevention from the Earliest Years of
Participation
This meta-analysis confirms that structured injury
prevention programs are an effective tool for improving the safety of young
football players. Protocols such as FIFA 11+ and FIFA 11+ Kids appear
particularly valuable, especially when incorporated regularly into training
sessions.
However, the authors highlight several limitations. The
included studies differed substantially in their methodologies, intervention
durations, and levels of participant adherence. Some subgroup analyses were
also based on a limited number of studies, reducing the precision of certain
findings. In addition, long-term data remain insufficient to determine whether
the benefits persist over multiple seasons.
Despite these limitations, the results support the
systematic implementation of injury prevention programs from the earliest
stages of football participation. By improving balance, coordination, and
movement control, these interventions could not only reduce the short-term risk
of injury but also promote safer and more sustainable athletic development
among young athletes.
About the author – Ana Espino
PhD in Immunology, specialized in Virology
As a scientific writer, Ana is passionate about bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. With expertise in immunology, virology, oncology, and clinical studies, she makes complex science clear and accessible. Her mission: to accelerate knowledge sharing and empower evidence-based decisions. 
