Neuromuscular Training in Professional Esports Players

NCT ID: NCT07325396

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-28

Study Completion Date

2026-12-01

Brief Summary

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Professional esports players engage in prolonged training sessions and experience high physical and mental stress due to intensive competition schedules. These demands can lead to increased fatigue, decreased performance, and health problems. This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether adding a structured neuromuscular exercise program to routine esports training reduces fatigue and stress biomarkers and improves performance-related outcomes in professional esports players.

Detailed Description

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Esports players often perform long hours of training that require sustained physical and cognitive effort, which may result in musculoskeletal problems, mental fatigue, and elevated stress levels. Most studies in the esports field rely on subjective evaluations and include non-professional populations. Objective assessment of fatigue and stress biomarkers in professional esports athletes is still lacking.

This prospective randomized controlled trial will include 24 professional esports players aged 18-35 who train at least 35 hours per week with their teams. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a neuromuscular training group or a control group. The intervention group will complete an 8-week neuromuscular exercise program three times per week in addition to their regular esports training routine. The control group will receive structured physical activity counseling based on ACSM 5A principles.

Primary outcomes include serum levels of cortisol, testosterone, testosterone/cortisol ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), vitamin B12, and iron measured under standardized fasting conditions. Secondary outcomes include muscle strength (myometry), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), physical activity level (IPAQ-SF), quality of life (SF-12), visual and auditory reaction time tests, lactate measures (Lactate Scout), and mood states (POMS). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention period.

The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating neuromuscular conditioning into professional esports training to enhance physical health, reduce fatigue and stress, and improve overall performance.

Conditions

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Esports Esports Players

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Neuromuscular Training

Professional esports players will perform a structured neuromuscular training program added to their routine esports practice, 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. The program includes warm-up, aerobic, strengthening, core stabilization, functional and reaction drills with progressive weekly increases in duration or repetitions.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Neuromuscular Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A progressive neuromuscular exercise program including dynamic warm-up, aerobic exercises, functional strengthening of lower and upper extremity muscles, core stabilization training, and reaction drills performed 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Duration and repetitions increase biweekly according to a structured progression protocol.

Physical Activity Counseling

Professional esports players will receive structured physical activity counseling in addition to their routine esports practice. The counseling will follow ACSM 5A principles (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) to support behavior change and increase physical activity participation weekly for 8 weeks.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Physical Activity Counseling

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Structured physical activity counseling based on ACSM 5A principles (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) delivered weekly for 8 weeks to promote sustainable physical activity behaviors and reduce sedentary time during esports training routines.

Interventions

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Neuromuscular Training

A progressive neuromuscular exercise program including dynamic warm-up, aerobic exercises, functional strengthening of lower and upper extremity muscles, core stabilization training, and reaction drills performed 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Duration and repetitions increase biweekly according to a structured progression protocol.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Physical Activity Counseling

Structured physical activity counseling based on ACSM 5A principles (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) delivered weekly for 8 weeks to promote sustainable physical activity behaviors and reduce sedentary time during esports training routines.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age between 18-35 years
* Currently competing as a contracted professional esports player
* Playing one of the following games at a professional level:

League of Legends, Counter Strike 2, Overwatch, Valorant, Apex Legends, DOTA2, Rocket League, PUBG

* Participating in ≥35 hours/week of training with their team
* Voluntary agreement to participate and sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* History or presence of medical conditions affecting safety or performance: metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, neurological, or respiratory disorders

* Playing esports only at amateur or beginner level
* Answering "Yes" to any item in the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)

Removal Criteria:

* Participating in \<35 hours/week esports training during the study
* Missing ≥2 neuromuscular training sessions (intervention group)
* Leaving their professional esports organization (roster removal, retirement, etc.)
* Any illness or injury preventing continuation of esports participation
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

35 Years

Eligible Sex

MALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Yeditepe University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Doğukan Tongar

Teaching Assistant

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa

Istanbul, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

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Doğukan Tongar, Master of Science

Role: CONTACT

+90 0507 843 10 21

Ela TARAKCI

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

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Doğukan Tongar

Role: primary

References

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Ambrozy T, Rydzik L, Obminski Z, Blach W, Serafin N, Blach B, Jaszczur-Nowicki J, Ozimek M. The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Periods on Morning Serum Testosterone and Cortisol Levels and Physical Fitness in Men Aged 35-40 Years. J Clin Med. 2021 May 15;10(10):2143. doi: 10.3390/jcm10102143.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34063524 (View on PubMed)

Saglam M, Arikan H, Savci S, Inal-Ince D, Bosnak-Guclu M, Karabulut E, Tokgozoglu L. International physical activity questionnaire: reliability and validity of the Turkish version. Percept Mot Skills. 2010 Aug;111(1):278-84. doi: 10.2466/06.08.PMS.111.4.278-284.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21058606 (View on PubMed)

Andre TL, Walsh SM, ValladAo S, Cox D. Physiological and Perceptual Response to a Live Collegiate Esports Tournament. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020 Sep 1;13(6):1418-1429. doi: 10.70252/KNEB6696. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33042382 (View on PubMed)

Nagorsky E, Wiemeyer J. The structure of performance and training in esports. PLoS One. 2020 Aug 25;15(8):e0237584. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237584. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32841263 (View on PubMed)

Bonnar D, Castine B, Kakoschke N, Sharp G. Sleep and performance in Eathletes: for the win! Sleep Health. 2019 Dec;5(6):647-650. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.007. Epub 2019 Jul 15.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31320292 (View on PubMed)

Emara AK, Ng MK, Cruickshank JA, Kampert MW, Piuzzi NS, Schaffer JL, King D. Gamer's Health Guide: Optimizing Performance, Recognizing Hazards, and Promoting Wellness in Esports. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020 Dec;19(12):537-545. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000787.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33306517 (View on PubMed)

DiFrancisco-Donoghue J, Balentine J, Schmidt G, Zwibel H. Managing the health of the eSport athlete: an integrated health management model. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2019 Jan 10;5(1):e000467. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000467. eCollection 2019.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30792883 (View on PubMed)

Jenny, S. E., Manning, R. D., Keiper, M. C., & Olrich, T. W. (2017). Virtual (ly) athletes: where eSports fit within the definition of "Sport". Quest, 69(1), 1-18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Other Identifiers

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E-SPORT-NME-2025-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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