{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T04:31:55Z","timestamp":1786509115646,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786320000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol.","JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Efficient landing shock attenuation is important for both athletic performance and lower-extremity injury prevention in youth soccer players. Although landing biomechanics and change-of-direction (COD) performance have been widely investigated, the relationship between field-based COD performance and landing impact characteristics remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationships between linear sprint performance, COD performance, and landing impact during a standardized single-leg forward drop jump landing task in junior soccer players. Methods: Thirty-six junior soccer players (22 boys and 14 girls; 10\u201312 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Linear sprint performance and COD performance were assessed using a 30 m sprint test and a 30 m zigzag run test, respectively. Landing impact was evaluated during a standardized single-leg forward drop jump landing task using a force plate. Body weight-normalized peak vertical ground reaction force (peak vGRF, %BW) was calculated for each trial, and the average of the final five successful trials was used for analysis. Relationships between performance measures and body weight-normalized peak vGRF were examined using Spearman\u2019s rank correlation coefficients and partial Spearman correlation analyses adjusted for sex. Results: No significant correlation was observed between 30 m sprint performance and body weight-normalized peak vGRF (\u03c1 = 0.106, p = 0.537). In contrast, 30 m zigzag run performance showed a moderate positive correlation with body weight-normalized peak vGRF (\u03c1 = 0.401, p = 0.015), indicating that poorer COD performance was associated with greater landing impact. This association remained significant after adjustment for sex (partial \u03c1 = 0.474, p = 0.004). Conclusions: These findings suggest that landing impact characteristics may represent one biomechanical factor associated with COD performance. Although the observed association was moderate, field-based COD assessments may provide practical information regarding landing impact characteristics. Future studies should incorporate biological maturation, COD deficit, and additional biomechanical variables to further clarify these relationships.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk11030312","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T15:10:24Z","timestamp":1786374624000},"page":"312","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association Between Change-of-Direction Performance and Landing Impact Characteristics During a Single-Leg Forward Drop Jump Landing Task in Junior Soccer Players"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9694-8257","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shinya","family":"Kishi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Takarazuka University of Medical and Health Care, 2252 Nakanoshima, Wakayama City 640-8392, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuuji","family":"Kimura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sumiya Orthopedic Hospital, 333 Yoshida, Wakayama City 640-8392, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Takao","family":"Minami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sumiya Orthopedic Hospital, 333 Yoshida, Wakayama City 640-8392, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1080\/24733938.2021.1986635","article-title":"Change of direction frequency off the ball: New perspectives in elite youth soccer","volume":"6","author":"Morgan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Med. Footb."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12272","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-16558-9","article-title":"Relationship between sprint, jump, dynamic balance with the change of direction on young soccer players\u2019 performance","volume":"12","author":"Silva","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1080\/17461391.2021.2013953","article-title":"Horizontal versus vertical force application: Association with the change of direction performance in soccer players","volume":"23","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur. J. Sport Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pilanthananond, M., Tharawadeepimuk, K., Saengsirisuwan, V., and Limroongreungrat, W. (2023). Muscle activation and ground reaction force between single-leg drop landing and jump landing among young females during weight-acceptance phase. Sports, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/sports11090185"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1851","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-024-02022-3","article-title":"Changes in lower limb biomechanics across various stages of maturation and implications for ACL injury risk in female athletes: A systematic review","volume":"54","author":"Ramachandran","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Westbrook, A.E., Taylor, J.B., Nguyen, A.D., Paterno, M.V., and Ford, K.R. (2020). Effects of maturation on knee biomechanics during cutting and landing in young female soccer players. PLoS ONE, 15.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0233701"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000004990","article-title":"Linear and multidirectional speed testing (on-field and off-field) protocols in senior and elite female football","volume":"39","author":"Beato","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2207","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-025-02278-3","article-title":"Biomechanical determinants of change of direction performance: A systematic review","volume":"55","author":"Singh","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2321","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-022-01693-0","article-title":"Biomechanical and neuromuscular performance requirements of horizontal deceleration: A review with implications for random intermittent multi-directional sports","volume":"52","author":"Harper","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3190","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000003252","article-title":"Biomechanical associates of performance and knee joint loads during a 70\u201390\u00b0 cutting maneuver in subelite soccer players","volume":"35","author":"McBurnie","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"525","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000003433","article-title":"Contribution of eccentric strength to cutting performance in female soccer players","volume":"36","author":"Jones","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1131","DOI":"10.26603\/001c.142237","article-title":"Association between maturity status, landing force, and jump performance in adolescent male soccer players","volume":"20","author":"Namiki","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Phys. Ther."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1059","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-016-0479-z","article-title":"Neuromuscular risk factors for knee and ankle ligament injuries in male youth soccer players","volume":"46","author":"Read","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1483","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-020-01293-w","article-title":"Effects of resistance training on change-of-direction speed in youth and young physically active and athletic adults: A systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"50","author":"Chaabene","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"33","article-title":"Dynamic balance evaluation using center of gravity oscillation trajectory length during one-leg drop jumps","volume":"21","author":"Sugiyama","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Kansai Soc. Clin. Sports Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1123\/ijspp.2014-0458","article-title":"Biomechanical analysis of a change-of-direction task in collegiate soccer players","volume":"11","author":"Condello","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Physiol. Perform."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2444","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2012.06.029","article-title":"The effect of running speed on knee mechanical loading in females during side cutting","volume":"45","author":"Vanrenterghem","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Taghizadeh Kerman, M., Brunetti, C., Yalfani, A., Atri, A.E., and Sforza, C. (2023). The effects of FIFA 11+ Kids prevention program on kinematic risk factors for ACL injury in preadolescent female soccer players: A randomized controlled trial. Children, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/children10071206"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Soussi, B., Horv\u00e1th, T., Lacza, Z., and Ambrus, M. (2025). The effect of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program on knee instability and motor performance in male youth soccer players. Sensors, 25.","DOI":"10.3390\/s25082425"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2015-094621","article-title":"Citius, Altius, Fortius: Beneficial effects of resistance training for young athletes: Narrative review","volume":"50","author":"Faigenbaum","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-023-01944-8","article-title":"The effects of strength, plyometric and combined training on strength, power and speed characteristics in high-level, highly trained male youth soccer players: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"54","author":"Oliver","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sports Med."}],"container-title":["Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2411-5142\/11\/3\/312\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T04:23:06Z","timestamp":1786508586000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2411-5142\/11\/3\/312"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]},"references-count":21,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["jfmk11030312"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jfmk11030312","relation":{},"ISSN":["2411-5142"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2411-5142","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]}}}