Prospective Cohort Study of Villarreal CF Youth Players

Starting soon

Conditions studied: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

In brief

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries represent a highly relevant issue in both grassroots and professional sports, with a particularly high incidence in young and female populations. The objective of this project is to develop and validate a multiscale predictive algorithm for ACL injury risk in athletes from Villarreal CF (aged 10-45), integrating biomechanical, physiological, genetic, and gut microbiome biomarkers. The study, with a prospective and longitudinal design (4 years), will include a cohort of 200-250 players from the academy and first team. The following assessments will be conducted: biomechanical analysis of jumps using force platforms (instrumented LESS), physiological monitoring through resting heart rate and nocturnal heart rate variability (HRV), genotyping from saliva samples, and characterization of the gut microbiome 16 rRNA sequencing. The systematic recording of training, exposures, and injuries will follow OSTRC criteria and will be supervised by the club's medical team. The expected outcome is a multivariate predictive model, validated in a professional sports setting, capable of identifying individual risk profiles and generating a personalized score to guide preventive interventions (exercise, strength training, nutritional or probiotic strategies). This approach aims to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries, optimize performance, and translate biomedical knowledge into clinical and sports practice.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07653633

Run by

Cardenal Herrera University

People needed

200

Starts

2026-07-01

Expected to finish

2027-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-17

Who can join

Age: 10 and older, up to 45. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Active federation license with Villarreal CF during the study period.
• Regular participation in training sessions and official competitions.
• Aged between 10 and 45 years (encompassing academy, youth development, and first-team categories).
• For participants under 18 years of age: mandatory written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian.
• For minor participants aged ≥12 years: written informed assent must be provided by the athlete in addition to parental consent.

You may not qualify if…

• Previous bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
• Active severe musculoskeletal injury that prevents the execution of biomechanical or physiological testing.
• Systemic disease or medical condition that limits sports participation or interferes with the study's biological/physiological parameters.
• Deregistration or transfer to another sports club during the prospective follow-up period. Refusal or inability to comply with the protocol's testing procedures or long-term follow-up requirements.

Where it is running

• Villareal Football Club — Villarreal, Spain, Spain

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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