Effects of unilateral single-mode balance training compared to combined balance and plyometric training on soccer players' interlimb asymmetry in static and dynamic balance performance.
Both single-mode balance training and combined balance and plyometric training yielded significant improvements in interlimb static and dynamic postural control in young male soccer players, with greater effects in the single-mode BT group for success rate and in the combined BT+PT group for CoP-based indices.
Key Findings
Results
Both training modalities produced significant improvements in interlimb static and dynamic postural control, but no single modality was conclusively superior due to floor and ceiling effects across outcome domains.
Young male soccer players (N=57, Tier level 3) were randomly allocated to BT (n=17), BT+PT (n=20), or active CON (n=20) groups
Training was conducted in-season for nine weeks at two sessions per week using the non-dominant leg
Floor and ceiling effects across outcome domains prevented a definitive conclusion that one training mode is superior to the other
Significant improvements in the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) occurred irrespective of the training modality
Results
Single-mode balance training (BT) produced greater effects than combined training for the binary outcome measure of success rate.
Success rate is a binary parameter of postural control reflecting task completion across difficulty levels (gradual reduction of base of support)
The BT group showed greater improvements in success rate compared to the BT+PT group
The authors note this advantage is subject to ceiling effects, limiting interpretability
Training targeted the non-dominant leg under both static (unipedal stance only) and dynamic (unipedal stance with continuous leg swing) task conditions
Results
Combined balance and plyometric training (BT+PT) produced greater effects than single-mode training for CoP-based metric indices of postural control.
Center of pressure (CoP) indices are metric parameters reflecting the regulatory processes of postural control
The combined BT+PT group showed greater improvements in CoP-based indices compared to the BT group
The authors state that 'regulatory processes, in particular, benefit from this training modality'
The more in-depth CoP-based analysis yielded findings 'in favor of the combined BT+PT'
Results
The Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) improved significantly in both training groups regardless of training modality.
LSI was calculated to quantify interlimb asymmetry in balance performance
Significant LSI improvements were observed for both BT and BT+PT groups
The control (CON) group context implies training-specific effects, as CON received only regular soccer training
LSI improvements occurred across both static and dynamic balance task conditions
Methods
The study assessed unipedal balance performance under two task conditions and multiple difficulty levels to capture both binary and metric dimensions of postural control.
Static condition: unipedal stance only; dynamic condition: unipedal stance with continuous leg swing
Difficulty was increased by gradual reduction of the base of support
Both binary (success rate) and metric (CoP indices, LSI) parameters were calculated
Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted for both the dominant and non-dominant legs
Participants were young male soccer players aged approximately 13.8–14.2 years (mean ± SD)
Background
The study hypothesized that combined training would yield complementary adaptations compared to single-mode training, a premise supported by the CoP-based but not the binary outcome results.
No prior study had compared single-mode versus combined training modalities for interlimb balance performance in this population
Complementary adaptations were suggested for combined training modalities in the background rationale
The CoP-based findings supported complementary benefits of combined BT+PT
The binary success rate findings did not support superiority of combined training, instead favoring single-mode BT
What This Means
This research suggests that both balance-only training and a combination of balance and plyometric (jump) training can improve leg symmetry and stability in young male soccer players. The study trained 57 teenage soccer players over nine weeks, two sessions per week, focusing on their non-dominant leg. Players were split into three groups: one doing only balance exercises, one doing balance plus jumping exercises, and one continuing their normal soccer activities as a control group. Both training groups showed meaningful improvements in how symmetrically and effectively they could balance on one leg under increasingly challenging conditions.
The study found a nuance depending on how balance was measured. When looking at a simpler pass/fail measure (whether players could complete a balance task), the balance-only group appeared to do better. But when using more detailed sensor-based measurements of how the body's center of pressure moved during balancing, the combined balance-plus-jumping group showed greater improvements. The authors suggest this means that the combined training may be especially good at improving the body's fine-tuned stability regulation, even if it doesn't look as impressive on a basic task completion score.
This research suggests that soccer coaches and trainers have flexibility in choosing between these approaches, as both are effective for reducing leg-to-leg imbalances in young players. The more detailed analysis points toward combined balance and plyometric training as potentially offering deeper neuromuscular benefits, though the authors caution that measurement effects (floors and ceilings in the data) make it impossible to definitively declare one method superior. Future research may help clarify which approach is best suited for specific performance or injury-prevention goals.
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Muehlbauer T, Kliegl R, Borgmann K, Limpach S, Krombholz D, Panzer S. (2026). Effects of unilateral single-mode balance training compared to combined balance and plyometric training on soccer players' interlimb asymmetry in static and dynamic balance performance.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358565