Effectiveness of Dynamic Warm-up Protocols in Preventing Lower limb Injuries Among Football Players: A Systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68050/JAMS.2026.419Keywords:
dynamic warm -up, Football injury prevention, Hamstring injury, Ankle Sprain, Neuromuscular Training, Lower LimbAbstract
Background :Dynamic warm-ups (DWs) are widely adopted in football as preparatory strategies to boost performance, and reduce the chances of injury. However, systematic evidence consolidating their specific effectiveness on lower limb injury prevention .
Objectives: This systematic review aimed to evaluate and synthesis evidence on the effectiveness of dynamic warm-up protocols -incorporating neuromuscular activation, plyometrics, balance training, and sport-specific movement-in reducing lower limb injury incidence( hamstring strains, ankle sprains, and ACL tears) among football players, compared with static stretching and the FIFA 11+ programme, and to identify key protocol design features associated with optimal injury prevention outcomes.
Methodology : Using keywords including “dynamic warm-up,” “football injury prevention”, “hamstring injury”, “ankle sprain” and “ACL injury”, through literature search was carried out all through the PubMed, Google Scholar, SPORT Discus, and web of science databases. Based on predetermined inclusion criteria, studies published between 2026 to 2026 were considered. Found after 1348 records were found by database searching and 47 through manual searching.22 studies satisfied all inclusion requirements and were added to the synthesis after title/abstract screening (n = 1011) and full text evaluation (n = 132).
Result : studies systematically shows that DW programs that include plyometrics, neuromuscular activation, agility and balance training dramatically reduce lower limb injuries. Up to 50% less ankle sprains occurred as a result of neuromuscular training. FIFA 11 + reduced total injuries and enhanced agility and sprinting through changed DW routines. Elite hamstring injuries increased by 2.3% annually, according to a 13-year study, suggesting that preventive initiative need to be updated on a regular basis.
Conclusion : Football players can reduce lower limb injures by doing dynamic warm-ups, which are supported by study findings. For all levels of play, a well-organized, sport-specific DW program should be carried out fifteen minutes before training or competition.
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