CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05558033Updated Sep 18, 2026

Motor Imagery and Muscle Architecture

An interventional study of Plyometric Exercise and Football Training in Muscle Architecture, sponsored by Hacettepe University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to male participants aged 12 Years to 19 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-18.

Sponsored by Hacettepe University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
36
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
12 Years to 19 Years
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of plyometric training on biceps femoris longus (BFl) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle architecture in healthy football players. Individuals will be randomly placed into training and control groups. Measurements of muscle architecture will be taken bilaterally from BFl and VL muscles by means of an ultrasound device. Functional performance will be evaluated with the single leg jump test. Following the initial evaluations, individuals in the training group will receive plyometric training. Evaluations of muscle architecture and functional performance will be taken again from the individuals in the training and control groups at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. The received ultrasound images will be calculated through the MicroDicom software. In-group and between-group comparisons will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program and appropriate tests.

Read the detailed description

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of plyometric training on biceps femoris longus (BFl) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle architecture (fiber length, penation angle and muscle thickness) in healthy football players. Individuals will be randomly placed into two different groups, the training group and the control group. Imagery ability, self-efficacy and motivation will be evaluated with various questionnaires and scales in order to compare the homogeneity of the groups. Measurements of muscle architecture will be taken bilaterally from BFl and VL muscles by means of an ultrasound device. Functional performance will be evaluated with the single leg jump test. Following the initial evaluations, individuals in the training group will receive plyometric training consisting of ten different exercises for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week. In this training, individuals will not participate in a real plyometric training. Volunteers will watch videos to be prepared (action observation) and imagine them performing those exercises (motor imagery). All trainings will be given on the basis of telerehabilitation via distance education tools. Cognitive fatigue at the beginning and end of the session; at the end of each session, the technical quality and efficiency of the training will be evaluated. Evaluations of muscle architecture and functional performance will be taken again from the individuals in the control and training groups at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. The received ultrasound images will be calculated through the MicroDicom software. In-group and between-group comparisons will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program and appropriate tests.

02

Conditions studied

  • Muscle Architecture

Keywords

  • motor imagery
  • action observation
  • plyometric training
  • biceps femoris
  • vastus lateralis
  • muscle architecture
  • fiber length
  • pennation angle
  • muscle thickness
  • function
  • single leg jump
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Hacettepe University is the lead sponsor of 983 studies on the registry; 212 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
12 Years to 19 Years
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Be in the 12-19 age range
  • Being actively playing football as licensed

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Those who have undergone lower extremity surgery
  • Those with a history of second and third degree strain type injuries in the hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups
  • Those with a history of injury to the lower extremity in the last two years
  • Those with a history of congenital, neurological, orthopedic, rheumatological and cardiopulmonary pathologies or anomalies,
  • Those with a diagnosis of systemic disease (diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid diseases, etc.)
  • Those with acute infection and pain
  • Those with a diagnosis of joint instability
  • Those with a body mass index of 30 and above
  • Those who received energy supplements or ergogenic aids during the study or during the 6-month period before the study
  • Those who do not follow the research protocol
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
36 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Plyometric Training Group

    Individuals in the plyometric training group will receive plyometric training. In this training, individuals will not participate in a real plyometric training. Volunteers will watch videos to be prepared (action observation) and imagine them performing those exercises (motor imagery). All trainings will be given on the basis of telerehabilitation via distance education tools.

    Other: Plyometric Exercise

  • Active comparator
    Control Group

    Athletes in this group will continue their routine training programs like the athletes in the plyometric training group.

    Other: Football Training

Interventions

  • OtherPlyometric Exercise

    Plyometric training consisting of ten different exercises \[vertical unilateral and bilateral counter movement jump, horizontal unilateral and bilateral counter movement jump, drop jump (30 cm), squat jump, step-hop (20 cm), 180 degree rotation in transverse plane, frontal plane hurdle jump (20 cm) and sagittal plane hurdle jump (20 cm)\] for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week. Individuals will not participate in a real plyometric training. Volunteers will watch videos to be prepared (action observation) and imagine them performing those exercises (motor imagery)

  • OtherFootball Training

    Routine football trainings

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Muscle Architecture Change-1

    Fiber length of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris longus muscles

    Time frame: Before, at the end of the fourth week and the eighth week

  2. Muscle Architecture Change-2

    Pennation angle of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris longus muscles

    Time frame: Before, at the end of the fourth week and the eighth week

  3. Muscle Architecture Change-3

    Muscle thickness of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris longus muscles

    Time frame: Before, at the end of the fourth week and the eighth week

Secondary outcomes

  1. Functional Performance Change-1

    Single leg jump distance

    Time frame: Before, at the end of the fourth week and the eighth week

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Of Football Club
    Trabzon, Turkey (Türkiye)
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 18, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05558033
Lead sponsor
Hacettepe University
Responsible party
Murat EMİRZEOĞLU (Principal Investigator, Hacettepe University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 28, 2022
Start date
Nov 21, 2022
Primary completion
Mar 15, 2023
Completion
Jun 15, 2023
Last update
Sep 18, 2026

Study contacts

Özlem Ülger
study director · Hacettepe University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion