NCT07325396

Neuromuscular Training in Professional Esports Players

Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training Added to Routine Practice on Fatigue and Stress Biomarkers in Professional Esports Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Yeditepe University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

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

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

• Esports
• Esports Players

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	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.
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-28
• Primary completion: 2026-12-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2026-01-08
• Last updated: 2026-01-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)