Neuroscience-Based Exercise Training in Female Volleyball Players
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age16-21
SponsorÖzge Ecem Şenel
About this trial
24 volunteer professional female volleyball players (aged 16-21), licensed in the Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) Women's Volleyball League 2 and 3, will be included in the study. Participants will be randomized into intervention (n=12) and control (n=12) groups using www.randomizer.org. The intervention group will receive an 8-week (3 days/week) neuro-athletic exercise training program, including eye warm-up exercises and volleyball-specific visual and motor coordination stations, in addition to their regular training. The control group will continue with regular training only. Both groups will have equal total training time.
Visual attention and decision-making strategies will be measured with a wearable eye-tracking system (Pupil Labs Invisible) during a serve task. Cortical activation (oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin levels) in the frontal cortex during the same serve task will be measured simultaneously with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Sport-specific physical fitness will be evaluated with the T-Agility Test, radar gun serve speed measurement, VERT wearable jump analysis system, Y-Balance Test, and sit-and-reach test.
All assessments will be conducted before training begins and after the 8-week program. The study aims to determine whether neuro-athletic exercise training improves cortical activation, visual attention, decision-making processes, and sport-specific physical fitness parameters in professional female volleyball players, compared to a control group receiving regular training only.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Licensed female volleyball player in the Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) Women's Volleyball League 2 or League 3
Aged between 16 and 21 years
Actively participating in the sport for at least 3 years
Disqualifiers
Any history of musculoskeletal surgery
An injury within the last 3 months that prevented participation in training or competition
Any diagnosed visual impairment, visual function disorder, or vestibular system-related problem
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Exercise
BehavioralAn 8-week (3 days/week) structured program added to regular training, combining: (1) eye warm-up exercises (eye massage, palming) and (2) volleyball-specific visual-motor coordination stations, including Saccade, Anti-Saccade, and Smart Optometry stations (targeting visual tracking, reaction speed, and eye-hand coordination), Brock String (depth perception and eye-hand coordination), Star Chart station (visual scanning and spatial awareness), and Pinhole Glasses Small Area Game (restricted peripheral vision to enhance focused attention and quick decision-making). Sessions are conducted by a physiotherapist, with total training time matched to the control group.
Treatment groups
24 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Intervention GroupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Control GroupNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Cortical Activation During Serve Task (fNIRS), measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during a serve task, comparing pre-task, during-task, and post-task signal changes. Change in oxygenated (HbO) and deoxygenated (HbR) hemoglobin levels in the frontal cortex.
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeks2
Pupil Lab Invisible Eye Tracker
Visual Attention and Decision-Making (Eye-Tracking Parameters). Measured using a wearable eye-tracking system (Pupil Labs Invisible) during a serve task, including total fixation duration and visual scan path parameters, automatically quantified using Pupil Player software. Measured change in gaze fixation duration and visual search patterns
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeksSecondary outcomes
1
T-Agility Test
Time to complete the T-Agility Test course, measured in seconds with a stopwatch; reaction time also recorded via BlazePod integrated lights in milliseconds. Measured change in T-Agility Test completion time
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeks2
Serve Speed
Measured change in serve speed. Measured in km/h using a radar gun (Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun) during 5 successful serves; highest recorded value used for analysis.
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeks3
Vertical Jump Performance
Measured using the VERT wearable jump analysis system across 5 maximal vertical jumps using the countermovement jump technique. Measured change in jump height, peak jump velocity, and landing force
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeks4
Y-Balance Test
Measured change in Y-Balance Test composite score. Composite reach score calculated from anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral reach directions, normalized to limb length.
Time frame
Baseline and after 8 weeksSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Özge Ecem Şenel
Lead sponsor
Istinye University
Sponsor institution
Source ClinicalTrials.gov