Investigation of warming up and nutrition knowledge levels of individuals going to football field matches: The example of Şirnak/Silopi

This research was designed to investigate the knowledge levels of individuals who regularly participate in recreational indoor soccer matches in terms of warm-up exercises and nutrition. A total of 590 people participated in the study, and the sample group of the research was comprised of individuals from the Silopi district of Şırnak. The data collection instruments used in the research included the Warm-Up Knowledge Scale, Nutrition Knowledge Scale, and Attitude Scale towards Fortified Foods. The findings of our study revealed that the participants had partial knowledge about warming up but lacked sufficient information about warm-up exercises and their durations. The research concluded that individuals did not have adequate habits of performing warm-up and cooldown exercises. The study also found that the majority of participants experienced injuries primarily in the leg area, with bone and muscle injuries being more common types of injuries. It was determined that most participants had no opinions about the effectiveness of supportive substances such as creams, gels, and massages for warming up. Additionally, the participants were found to have knowledge about fortified foods, but they lacked sufficient information about dietary supplements. The majority of the participants were not consuming natural products. Furthermore, it was observed that the majority of participants did not use protein powder and energy drinks. As a result of this study, it was concluded that individuals who predominantly visit indoor soccer facilities for recreational purposes need to be educated to transform their knowledge and habits regarding warm-up and nutrition into healthy attitudes and behaviors. Various activities related to warm-up exercises and nutrition can be organized in indoor soccer facilities to increase the knowledge of these individuals. Additionally, they can be provided with healthy information about natural products, and encouragement can be given for the consumption of natural products.