EFFECTIVENESS OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE TRAINING ON BALANCE AND POSTURAL CONTROL IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Keywords:
proprioceptive training; dynamic balance; postural control; youth soccer; neuromuscular trainingAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/gt.v9i18edespsep.0452
Abstract
Introduction. Proprioceptive training is used to improve balance, stability, and neuromuscular control in young athletes. Objective. To analyze the effectiveness of proprioceptive training on balance and postural control in soccer players aged 8 to 17 years. Methods. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020. PubMed, SciELO, and ScienceDirect were searched for studies published between 2021 and 2026. Randomized controlled trials and experimental or quasi-experimental studies involving proprioceptive, sensorimotor, or balance interventions lasting at least four weeks were included. Methodological quality was assessed using JBI critical appraisal tools, and findings were integrated through narrative synthesis. Results. Seven studies were included. Interventions lasted 4 to 10 weeks and generally showed improvements in dynamic balance, postural stability, single-leg balance, and selected asymmetry measures. However, the magnitude of effects and superiority over comparator groups were not consistent across studies. Improvements in strength, agility, power, and soccer-specific skills were variable. Conclusions. Proprioceptive training appears to be a useful complementary strategy for improving balance and postural control in young soccer players, although more homogeneous studies with larger samples are needed.
Keywords: proprioceptive training; dynamic balance; postural control; youth soccer; neuromuscular training.
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