Motor ImageryNCT06397586
Plyometric Training Based on Motor Imagery and Action Observation in Female Volleyball Players
A study testing Routine volleyball in people with Motor Imagery, run by Ugur Cavlak at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Plyometric training (PT) is training consisting of exercises that enable the muscles to reach maximum strength in minimum time. PE improves lower extremity muscle strength, jumping performance, agility, reaction time. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Motor Imagery
- What is being tested?
- Routine volleyball
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 45 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 30 Apr 2024to 1 Jul 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Being a woman between the ages of 18-25
- Becoming a licensed volleyball player
- Playing volleyball actively
- Knowing how to read and write Turkish to understand, interpret and answer surveys
- Having signed the informed consent form
Who cannot join
- Athletes with acute injury and/or early postoperative surgery
- Those who suffered injuries while working
- Those who did not follow the research protocol (did not complete the tests and/or did not complete the training program)
- Those who want to leave the research voluntarily
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Faculty of Health Sciences
Istanbul, Zeytinburnu, 34010
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Plyometric Training Based on Two Different Motor Imagery and Action Observation Tecniques Applied to Female Volleyball Players
Plyometric training (PT) is training consisting of exercises that enable the muscles to reach maximum strength in minimum time. PE improves lower extremity muscle strength, jumping performance, agility, reaction time. Although plyometric exercises contribute greatly to increasing athlete performance, athletes cannot apply PE due to loading procedures at all times of the season. PEs in the literature generally involve active application of exercises. The definition of exercise includes not only physical exercise but also mental exercise. Athletes can use mental exercises as complementary training methods that can complement or add to physical training to compensate for their deficiencies. When mental exercises are examined, we often encounter two concepts. These are action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI). MI imagines a task without actually performing it. AO is when a person watches a certain action being performed by another third party or while the video is being played back. There are studies showing that training on MI and AO methods creates more activation in the brain when applied together. Although the definition of motor imagery has been broadly separated from action, more recent imagery theories have led to the concept of dynamic motor imagery (DMI), the practice of athletes adopting a harmonious body position and embodying the spatial and temporal properties of movement without performing the entire movement. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been found in which PT based on MI and AO was performed on female volleyball players. Additionally, to our knowledge, the effectiveness of DMI on female volleyball players has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study is; PT based on MI and AO is applied to female volleyball players in two different ways; The aim is to investigate the effects of balance, jumping, agility and reaction time and to compare the effectiveness of these two methods.
Read the detailed description
45 licensed female volleyball players between the ages of 18 and 25 will be included in the study. Volleyball players will be randomized into three groups: Group A, Group B, Group C. Group A- Routine training + MI and AO; He/she will be included in an MI and AO based PT exercise program with a physiotherapist 2 days a week for 8 weeks. Group B- Routine training + DMI and AO will perform the same exercise program as DMI. Group C- Control group will continue their routine training program for 8 weeks. Demographic information of all patients to be included in the study will be recorded with the "Case Evaluation Form". The patients' static balances were measured with the Performanz device, their dynamic balances with the Y balance test, their jumping performances with the My Jump 2 application and one-step jump test, their agility performances with the shuttle running test and agility T test, their reaction times with the Blazepod device, their movement imagination abilities with the Movement Imagination Questionnaire. It will be evaluated with -3. All data will be evaluated using statistical analysis methods.
- Conditions
- Motor Imagery
- Being tested
- Routine volleyball
- Keywords
- Motor imagery, Plyometric Training, Dynamic Motor, Imagery, Volleyball
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Routine volleyballOther
Also called plyometric training
MOtor imagery
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| GROUP I: STATICK | Experimental | static motor imagery and movement observation-based plyometric training Receives: Other: Routine volleyball |
| GROUP II: DYNAMIC | Experimental | dynamic motor imagery and movement observation-based plyometric training Receives: Other: Routine volleyball |
| GROUP III: ACTIVE CONTROL | Active comparator | plyometric training Receives: Other: Routine volleyball |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3
It was developed by Williams et al. and Dilek et al. in order to determine the imagination ability of all individuals included in the training and control groups. "Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3", whose Turkish validity and reliability has been established by , will be used (internal consistency coefficient: 0.87). With 12 items in this survey, internal visual imagery, external visual imagery and kinesthetic imagery abilities will be evaluated through four actions each. Actions will initially be taken actively by individuals. They were then asked to perform these actions as mental tasks. These mental tasks were scored using a seven-point Likert scale (1: very difficult to see and feel; 7: very easy to see and feel). In the score calculation, the score average of the four relevant actions will be taken for each of the three sub-dimensions
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Vertical jump test
Vertical jump test will be used to determine the vertical jump distances of the participants. The jump test will be video recorded and analyzed with the help of the smartphone application "My Jump 2" (© 2016-18 Carlos Balsalobre-Fernández). It has been emphasized that there is a near-perfect similarity between the My Jump 2 application and the reactive force index, time on the ground and jump height measurements of the force platform, and therefore the application is a valid and reliable measurement method
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Agility Performance Evaluation
Shuttle running test (MKT) is a test frequently used to evaluate agility in athletes. MKT test will be applied according to the recommendation of Leger and Lambert (1982). Running speed signals will be controlled with the Sportexpert Test Timer (Italy) pace generator device. The test will start at 8.5 km/h and increase by 0.5 km/h every minute. Participants were asked to travel 20m at each signal. The test will be terminated when the participants cannot complete the 20m distance three times in a row even though the signal sounds. The estimated VO2max values of the participants will be calculated with the formula suggested by Leger et al.
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Agility T test
Agility T test consists of 4 contact points formed in a T shape in an area of 10m length and 10m width. The aim is to complete a series that requires the subject to move in different directions and in different ways between these contact points in the shortest time possible. The difference between this test and other agility tests is that the subject always looks in the same direction. It changes direction by sliding steps to the right and left or by running backwards. This test requires two 900° and 1800° turns, as well as 10m forward, 10m right, 10m left and 10m back, for a total distance of 40m
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
single-step hop test
The single-step hop test will be used, which has been found to have excellent test-retest reliability as an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.94 for the dominant side and 0.96 for the non-dominant side
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Secondary outcomes (3)
Y balance test
Y balance test (YDT) will be used to evaluate dynamic balance. Measurement will be made with the "Y Balance Test" platform. YDT allows the participant to balance on one foot while simultaneously extending the other foot in three different directions as possible: anterior, posterolateral and posteromedial. The YDT composite score is calculated by summing the 3 reaching directions and dividing the results by the lower extremity length. YDT is one of the valid and reliable measurement methods used to evaluate balance in athletes
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Static Balance test
Performance Balance system is an electronic monitoring device designed to analyze lower extremity muscle groups that affect human balance. The basic method used is to reveal the contraction behavior of the muscles by following the balance focus. The device will measure the differences between individuals' dynamic and static balance, eyes open and eyes closed balance, two-foot and single-foot (right/left) balance, and right/left foot balance, and first-test-last-test balance developments will be measured. During the test, the participant will be asked to stand on the balance system and maintain his balance by following the commands given. The platform is linked to computer software that allows the balance to be evaluated objectively. Thanks to this software, the researcher will be able to monitor the measurements from his tablet or laptop. Muscle structure and balance measurements of individuals will be evaluated according to the results of the balance tests
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Evaluation of reaction time
Reaction times of the participants will be measured with the Blazepod (Israel) system, which consists of wireless light discs that can be controlled via an application compatible with smart devices. A validity and reliability study was conducted to evaluate the reaction time of the device (
Measured: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 May 2024
- Study start30 Apr 2024
- Primary completion30 May 2025
- Study completion1 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Motor ImageryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ugur Cavlak
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Biruni University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Ugur Cavlak, Biruni University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06397586
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BiruniUnivi
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 30 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 14 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Scott M, Taylor S, Chesterton P, Vogt S, Eaves DL. Motor imagery during action observation increases eccentric hamstring force: an acute non-physical intervention. Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Jun;40(12):1443-1451. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1300333. Epub 2017 Mar 21.
PubMed 28322596
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Plyometric Training Based on Two Different Motor Imagery and Action Observation Tecniques Applied to Female Volleyball Players
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06397586
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BiruniUnivi
- Conditions
- Motor Imagery
- Keywords
- Motor imagery, Plyometric Training, Dynamic Motor, Imagery, Volleyball
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Ugur CavlakUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Biruni University
- Study start
- 30 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 May 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 May 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Plyometric training (PT) is training consisting of exercises that enable the muscles to reach maximum strength in minimum time. PE improves lower extremity muscle strength, jumping performance, agility, reaction time. Although plyometric exercises contribute greatly to increasing athlete performance, athletes cannot apply PE due to loading procedures at all times of the season. PEs in the literature generally involve active application of exercises. The definition of exercise includes not only physical exercise but also mental exercise. Athletes can use mental exercises as complementary training methods that can complement or add to physical training to compensate for their deficiencies. When mental exercises are examined, we often encounter two concepts. These are action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI). MI imagines a task without actually performing it. AO is when a person watches a certain action being performed by another third party or while the video is being played back. There are studies showing that training on MI and AO methods creates more activation in the brain when applied together. Although the definition of motor imagery has been broadly separated from action, more recent imagery theories have led to the concept of dynamic motor imagery (DMI), the practice of athletes adopting a harmonious body position and embodying the spatial and temporal properties of movement without performing the entire movement. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been found in which PT based on MI and AO was performed on female volleyball players. Additionally, to our knowledge, the effectiveness of DMI on female volleyball players has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study is; PT based on MI and AO is applied to female volleyball players in two different ways; The aim is to investigate the effects of balance, jumping, agility and reaction time and to compare the effectiveness of these two methods.
Detailed description
45 licensed female volleyball players between the ages of 18 and 25 will be included in the study. Volleyball players will be randomized into three groups: Group A, Group B, Group C. Group A- Routine training + MI and AO; He/she will be included in an MI and AO based PT exercise program with a physiotherapist 2 days a week for 8 weeks. Group B- Routine training + DMI and AO will perform the same exercise program as DMI. Group C- Control group will continue their routine training program for 8 weeks. Demographic information of all patients to be included in the study will be recorded with the "Case Evaluation Form". The patients' static balances were measured with the Performanz device, their dynamic balances with the Y balance test, their jumping performances with the My Jump 2 application and one-step jump test, their agility performances with the shuttle running test and agility T test, their reaction times with the Blazepod device, their movement imagination abilities with the Movement Imagination Questionnaire. It will be evaluated with -3. All data will be evaluated using statistical analysis methods.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Randomized Controlled Trial
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| GROUP I: STATICK | Experimental | Other: Routine volleyballstatic motor imagery and movement observation-based plyometric training |
| GROUP II: DYNAMIC | Experimental | Other: Routine volleyballdynamic motor imagery and movement observation-based plyometric training |
| GROUP III: ACTIVE CONTROL | Active comparator | Other: Routine volleyballplyometric training |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Being a woman between the ages of 18-25
- Becoming a licensed volleyball player
- Playing volleyball actively
- Knowing how to read and write Turkish to understand, interpret and answer surveys
- Having signed the informed consent form
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Athletes with acute injury and/or early postoperative surgery
- Those who suffered injuries while working
- Those who did not follow the research protocol (did not complete the tests and/or did not complete the training program)
- Those who want to leave the research voluntarily
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Routine volleyballAlso: plyometric trainingMOtor imagery | Other | GROUP I: STATICK, GROUP II: DYNAMIC, GROUP III: ACTIVE CONTROL |
Primary outcome
Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
It was developed by Williams et al. and Dilek et al. in order to determine the imagination ability of all individuals included in the training and control groups. "Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3", whose Turkish validity and reliability has been established by , will be used (internal consistency coefficient: 0.87). With 12 items in this survey, internal visual imagery, external visual imagery and kinesthetic imagery abilities will be evaluated through four actions each. Actions will initially be taken actively by individuals. They were then asked to perform these actions as mental tasks. These mental tasks were scored using a seven-point Likert scale (1: very difficult to see and feel; 7: very easy to see and feel). In the score calculation, the score average of the four relevant actions will be taken for each of the three sub-dimensions
Vertical jump test
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Vertical jump test will be used to determine the vertical jump distances of the participants. The jump test will be video recorded and analyzed with the help of the smartphone application "My Jump 2" (© 2016-18 Carlos Balsalobre-Fernández). It has been emphasized that there is a near-perfect similarity between the My Jump 2 application and the reactive force index, time on the ground and jump height measurements of the force platform, and therefore the application is a valid and reliable measurement method
Agility Performance Evaluation
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Shuttle running test (MKT) is a test frequently used to evaluate agility in athletes. MKT test will be applied according to the recommendation of Leger and Lambert (1982). Running speed signals will be controlled with the Sportexpert Test Timer (Italy) pace generator device. The test will start at 8.5 km/h and increase by 0.5 km/h every minute. Participants were asked to travel 20m at each signal. The test will be terminated when the participants cannot complete the 20m distance three times in a row even though the signal sounds. The estimated VO2max values of the participants will be calculated with the formula suggested by Leger et al.
Agility T test
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Agility T test consists of 4 contact points formed in a T shape in an area of 10m length and 10m width. The aim is to complete a series that requires the subject to move in different directions and in different ways between these contact points in the shortest time possible. The difference between this test and other agility tests is that the subject always looks in the same direction. It changes direction by sliding steps to the right and left or by running backwards. This test requires two 900° and 1800° turns, as well as 10m forward, 10m right, 10m left and 10m back, for a total distance of 40m
single-step hop test
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
The single-step hop test will be used, which has been found to have excellent test-retest reliability as an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.94 for the dominant side and 0.96 for the non-dominant side
3 secondary outcomes
Y balance test
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Static Balance test
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Evaluation of reaction time
Time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Jul 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 28322596Scott M, Taylor S, Chesterton P, Vogt S, Eaves DL. Motor imagery during action observation increases eccentric hamstring force: an acute non-physical intervention. Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Jun;40(12):1443-1451. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1300333. Epub 2017 Mar 21.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Routine volleyball in people with Motor Imagery, run by Ugur Cavlak at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3 (time frame: baseline and immediately after the intervention). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06397586, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Jul 2025.