The Effect of Proprioception and Core Stability Exercises on the Balance of Young Football Players

Abstract

Background. Football is one of the most popular sports in the world (Ricotti et al., 2013). This sport is very popular among younger age groups, as more than half of those playing football are under the age of eighteen (Rössler et al., 2018). When examining ankle injuries, it has been observed that children and adolescents are more likely to experience ankle injury than adults when comparing the risk of injury between different age groups (Doherty et al., Purpose. To determine the effect of proprioception and core stability exercises on the balance of young football Methods. Fourteen football school X team players participated in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups: the first group performed proprioceptive exercises, the second performed proprioceptive and core stability exercises. The subjects were evaluated twice before and after the exercise programs with balance platform SIGMA, modified star excursion balance test, McGill core endurance Results. Evaluating the results of the SIGMA balance platform, both groups showed statistically significant positive change: maximum backward deviation, mean velocity in the frontal plane, mean velocity in the sagittal plane, mean image length (p < 0.05). The first group also improved maximum forward deviation (p = 0.001), while the second group improved mean deviation in the frontal plane (p = 0.045). Results of the modified star excursion balance test showed that both groups achieved a statistically significant positive change in all test 1. The proprioceptive exercise program improves the static and dynamic balance of young football players and increases the static endurance of the core 2. The proprioceptive and core stability exercise program improves the static and dynamic balance of the young football players and increases the static endurance of the core 3. The proprioceptive exercises has a greater influence on dynamic balance, proprioceptive and core stability exercise program have a greater impact on the static endurance of the core muscles. Both programs equally improve static balance.

Keywords: proprioception, core stability, balance, young football players.