RunningNCT07488000
Plyometric Exercises During the Winter Pre-season in Sprinters
An observational study of Running, run by Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia at 1 site in Spain.
Trial summary
Background. Plyometric training is an effective strategy to improve power and performance in sprint-based sports; however, evidence regarding its actual effects in athletes during the winter season and its potential influence on the occurrence of health problems remains limited. Objective. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Running
- What is being tested?
- Plyometric training and Training without plyometric exercises
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSpain
- Study dates
- 15 Dec 2025to 20 Apr 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- 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 16 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Athletes meeting all inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria will be recruited through the Athletics Federation of the Region of Murcia.
Who may be able to join
- Age ≥16 years
- Regular participation in sprint events (60-400 m)
- Planned participation in winter competitions
- Membership of an athletics club
- Provision of digital informed consent
Who cannot join
- Recent acute lower-limb injury preventing training
- Medical contraindication to plyometric training
- Inability to complete follow-up
- Low questionnaire completion rate (<70%).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Spain1 site
Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia
Murcia, Principality of Asturias, 33006
About this study
Official title: Association Between a Winter Pre-season Plyometric Exercise Programme and Performance and Health-related Outcomes in Sprinters: a Prospective Cohort Study
Background. Plyometric training is an effective strategy to improve power and performance in sprint-based sports; however, evidence regarding its actual effects in athletes during the winter season and its potential influence on the occurrence of health problems remains limited.
Objective. To analyse the association between participation in a plyometric exercise programme during the winter pre-season and competitive performance, as well as the occurrence of lower-limb health problems in sprinters.
Read more
Methods. This will be a prospective observational cohort study with fully online data collection. Federated sprinters or athletes affiliated with athletics clubs will be included. The main exposure will be participation in a plyometric exercise programme (≥2 sessions per week in January). Outcomes will be winter competitive performance (best official time) and lower-limb health problems assessed using the OSTRC-H2 questionnaire. Control variables will include sleep quality (PSQI), internal training load (session-RPE), injury history, and competitive level. Statistical analyses will include linear and logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders.
Expected results. A positive association is expected between engagement in plyometric training and competitive performance, along with a lower frequency of lower-limb health problems, particularly among athletes with adequate sleep quality and a well-balanced training load.
- Conditions
- Running
- Being tested
- Plyometric training, Training without plyometric exercises
- Keywords
- Plyometric Exercise, Running, Athletic Performance, Sports Injuries, Workload, Sleep Quality
- Medical subject headings
- Athletic Injuries, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Plyometric trainingOther
Participation in a structured plyometric exercise programme during the winter pre-season (≥2 sessions per week)
Training without plyometric exercisesOther
Winter pre-season training programme without plyometric exercises
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Observational group with intervention | Athletes undertaking plyometric training Receives: Other: Plyometric training | |
| Observational group without intervention | Athletes not undertaking plyometric training Receives: Other: Training without plyometric exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Assessment of changes in winter competitive performance at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Winter competitive performance will be measured using the best official time recorded by each athlete in their main event (60, 100, 200, or 400 metres) during the winter season. The value will be expressed in seconds and will be obtained via self-report in the final questionnaire, together with the competition in which it was achieved. This continuous variable will represent the primary performance outcome.
Measured: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Assessment of changes in the occurrence of lower-limb health problems at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
The occurrence of lower-limb health problems will be assessed using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC-O), Spanish validated version. Based on the weekly reports, two indicators will be derived: the presence of at least one substantial lower-limb health problem (dichotomous variable: yes/no) and the total number of weeks with any health problem in this location (discrete variable).
Measured: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Secondary outcomes (4)
Assessment of changes in sleep quality at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Spanish version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). This scale yields a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality. It will be administered at baseline and at the end of the season
Measured: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Assessment of changes in the internal training load at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Internal training load will be calculated using the session-RPE method (14). This assessment is based on weekly training duration in minutes multiplied by the global perceived exertion rated on the Borg CR10 scale. From the weekly records, the mean weekly training load will be derived as a continuous variable.
Measured: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Assessment of the previous performance at baseline
Previous performance will be defined as the best official time recorded during the previous season, expressed in seconds, and will be used as a covariate to adjust for baseline performance level.
Measured: Baseline
Assessment of lower-limb injury history at baseline
Lower-limb injury history over the previous 12 months will be recorded as a dichotomous variable (yes/no), with documentation of the primary injury location.
Measured: Baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Mar 2026
- Study start15 Dec 2025
- Primary completion13 Mar 2026
- Study completion20 Apr 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for RunningStudies 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso, PhD, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia
- Investigators
- Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso, PhD, Principal investigator, Universidad de Oviedo
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07488000
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VelPli
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 12 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 28 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Association Between a Winter Pre-season Plyometric Exercise Programme and Performance and Health-related Outcomes in Sprinters: a Prospective Cohort Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07488000
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VelPli
- Conditions
- Running
- Keywords
- Plyometric Exercise, Running, Athletic Performance, Sports Injuries, Workload, Sleep Quality
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Católica San Antonio de MurciaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 13 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Apr 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Mar 2026 (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.
Background. Plyometric training is an effective strategy to improve power and performance in sprint-based sports; however, evidence regarding its actual effects in athletes during the winter season and its potential influence on the occurrence of health problems remains limited.
Objective. To analyse the association between participation in a plyometric exercise programme during the winter pre-season and competitive performance, as well as the occurrence of lower-limb health problems in sprinters.
Methods. This will be a prospective observational cohort study with fully online data collection. Federated sprinters or athletes affiliated with athletics clubs will be included. The main exposure will be participation in a plyometric exercise programme (≥2 sessions per week in January). Outcomes will be winter competitive performance (best official time) and lower-limb health problems assessed using the OSTRC-H2 questionnaire. Control variables will include sleep quality (PSQI), internal training load (session-RPE), injury history, and competitive level. Statistical analyses will include linear and logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders.
Expected results. A positive association is expected between engagement in plyometric training and competitive performance, along with a lower frequency of lower-limb health problems, particularly among athletes with adequate sleep quality and a well-balanced training load.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Observational group with intervention | – | Other: Plyometric trainingAthletes undertaking plyometric training |
| Observational group without intervention | – | Other: Training without plyometric exercisesAthletes not undertaking plyometric training |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Athletes meeting all inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria will be recruited through the Athletics Federation of the Region of Murcia.
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age ≥16 years
- Regular participation in sprint events (60-400 m)
- Planned participation in winter competitions
- Membership of an athletics club
- Provision of digital informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Recent acute lower-limb injury preventing training
- Medical contraindication to plyometric training
- Inability to complete follow-up
- Low questionnaire completion rate (<70%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Plyometric trainingParticipation in a structured plyometric exercise programme during the winter pre-season (≥2 sessions per week) | Other | Observational group with intervention |
| Training without plyometric exercisesWinter pre-season training programme without plyometric exercises | Other | Observational group without intervention |
Primary outcome
Assessment of changes in winter competitive performance at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Time frame: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Winter competitive performance will be measured using the best official time recorded by each athlete in their main event (60, 100, 200, or 400 metres) during the winter season. The value will be expressed in seconds and will be obtained via self-report in the final questionnaire, together with the competition in which it was achieved. This continuous variable will represent the primary performance outcome.
Assessment of changes in the occurrence of lower-limb health problems at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Time frame: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
The occurrence of lower-limb health problems will be assessed using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC-O), Spanish validated version. Based on the weekly reports, two indicators will be derived: the presence of at least one substantial lower-limb health problem (dichotomous variable: yes/no) and the total number of weeks with any health problem in this location (discrete variable).
4 secondary outcomes
Assessment of changes in sleep quality at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Time frame: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Assessment of changes in the internal training load at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season
Time frame: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month
Assessment of the previous performance at baseline
Time frame: Baseline
Assessment of lower-limb injury history at baseline
Time frame: Baseline
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 28 Apr 2026.
- 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.
Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso, PhD principal investigator
Universidad de Oviedo
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Running, run by Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia at 1 site in Spain.
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 28 Apr 2026. 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 Spain. 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?
Assessment of changes in winter competitive performance at baseline, after the winter pre-season, and after the competitive season (time frame: Baseline, through study completion, an average of 1 month). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 28 Apr 2026.