Can brain training make football players safer and faster?
NCT ID NCT07540247
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether special exercises that train the brain and reaction time can help American football players perform better and avoid injuries. Forty-five players aged 18-30 were split into three groups: one did neuroathletic training (focusing on balance and coordination), one did reactive training (using lights to improve reaction speed), and one did only their usual team practice. After four weeks, researchers measured balance, movement quality, and reaction time to see which approach worked best.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Neuroathletic training and reactive training
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help identify the most effective training method to boost performance and lower injury risk in American football players.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 45 participants, so results may not apply to all players. The training programs are short (4 weeks), and long-term benefits are unknown.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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45 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Aged 18-30 years Holding an active American football license during the study season Competing at the university, semi-professional, or professional level Regular participation in team training (6-10 hours per week) At least one year of continuous competitive American football experience Having a structured training background in American football Free from color blindness Free from attention-related disorders Free from any health condition that could affect neuromuscular, reactive, or sport-specific performance Exclusion Criteria: Injury within the previous 3 months resulting in absence from training or competition for more than 2 weeks Upper or lower extremity surgery within the previous 6 months History of neurological, vestibular, or cardiovascular disorders that could interfere with neuroathletic training or performance assessments COVID-19 infection within the previous 6 months
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Pamukkale University
Denizli, Kınıklı, 20160, Turkey (Türkiye)
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