What Makes a Football Player?

When I was in college studying for a biology degree, I had the fortune of playing on my school’s football team. Ever since then, I’ve been intensely fascinated with the interplay between, biology, anatomy and how the game is played—all factors that go into determining victory and defeat. While I was never good enough to go pro, I’ve remained an avid fan, and I watch football regularly. I plan on going to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, and am super excited about it.

For all of you football lovers out there, it may interest you to know there are more things that go into making a great football player than just the right moves and great strategy. There are many biological factors that figure into a great football player. Here are just two of them:

Bone Strength

Clermont University in France recently conducted a study in which adolescent female football players and swimmers had their bone density and size measured, along with measurements of healthy non-athletes.  After this the athletes practiced for about 10 hours per week over the course of 36 weeks. At the end of that time, the girls were measured again, and the measurements were compared.

What they found was that the swimmers and control group had similar measurements. The football players, on the other hand, had the highest bone mineral density (BMD) in every site that was measured. In addition, the football players’ bones were actually changed; in the hip area, shaft and neck of the femur, the cortex was denser and thicker, and the neck of the femur was larger in diameter.

Why is this? Football players put a lot more stress on bones than do swimmers or non-athletes. This stimulates bone growth and increases cortex density. In swimming, on the other hand, due to the fact that they are in a nearly weightless environment, the only pressure placed on their bones comes from muscle contractions.

Balance

Balance is important to everyone, young and old. Not only is it essential for optimum sports performance, but it also decreases injuries and falls in non-athletes. Balance training is commonly used in therapeutic and rehabilitation programs.

In a recent study out of Denmark, 43 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 45 years of age were placed in one of four groups (three groups trained while the fourth was an inactive control group). Parameters related to balance and postural control were measured prior to the start of the study. The three groups trained in football—spending 45 minutes each session playing 5v5 matches on a 10m x 45m pitch—continuous running—running each session for 45 minutes at 80% of their maximal heart rate—and interval training—using a series of two-minute high intensity runs performer at >90% of maximal heart rate.

The three groups trained for 12 weeks, and what they found at the end of this time was that all three groups showed improvement in their balance. However, the group that showed the most improvement was—you guessed it—the football-playing group. This is because football players are frequently in “unstable” positions (versus the relative stability of running), which work both the vestibular (equilibrium) and somatosensory (neuromuscular reflexes) systems, both of which are linked to balance.

Whether you’re a football player, a football mom (or dad), or just a football fan, it is obvious that football has many health benefits to all who are involved. Not only does this high intensity sport increase endurance, improve cardiovascular health, help you to maintain a healthy body weight, and help to lower blood pressure, but other aspects of your overall health, as well. So grab a ball and get out on the pitch. Your health will thank you for it!

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4. Football Fit: Getting Back into Shape to Hit the Pitch
5. Marta will play football with Ronaldo and Zidane.