Effects of short-term plyometric training on physical fitness parameters in female futsal athletes.
Vinícius Fonseca Neves da Silva, Samuel da Silva Aguiar, Caio Victor Sousa and 6 others
PMID 28603345WHAT IT FOUND
Four weeks of plyometric training improved jump distance, flexibility and body composition in female futsal athletes.
The control group, which continued standard training alone, showed no such gains. This offers a low-cost, equipment-light addition to conditioning programs.
Key findings
01The plyometric group significantly improved horizontal jump distance, sit-and-reach flexibility and reduced body fat percentage after four weeks, whereas the control group showed no significant changes.
02Between-group effect sizes were large for body fat reduction and very large for improvements in flexibility and muscle power, indicating a substantial benefit of the plyometric intervention over standard training alone.
03Baseline flexibility was positively associated with post-intervention jump performance and negatively associated with post-intervention body fat, suggesting that initial range of motion may influence the magnitude of training adaptations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (n=20), which limits the generalizability of the findings and increases the risk of Type I or Type II errors. The study did not control for dietary intake, although participants were instructed to maintain their habits; unmeasured nutritional changes could have influenced body composition results. Baseline body fat percentage differed significantly between groups, with the experimental group starting lower, which may have affected the magnitude of observed changes. The study did not investigate the underlying physiological mechanisms for the improvements in flexibility and power, nor did it assess injury rates or long-term retention of these gains.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by a local Ethics Committee.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these gains will transfer to male athletes, older populations, or those with different sport-specific demands, as the study was conducted exclusively in young female futsal players with a small sample size.