Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. Chase Hale

Degree Award Date

Spring 2007

Keywords

Core Stability, Core Strength, Athletic Performance, core, lumbar strength, injury prevention, functional movement screen

Disciplines

Physiotherapy | Sports Sciences

Abstract

Context: There is a significant amount of evidence to support the fact that core stability and strength can improve athletic components such as agility, balance, strength, and speed, and this improves athletic performance. Today, athletes are becoming bigger and stronger in both upper and lower body strength. Due to this fact, without proper core stability and strength injuries to the lower back, shoulder, knee, and ankle are more likely to occur.

Objective: To investigate the effects of core stability and strength on athletic performance. The method used to assess athletic performance in this study was the functional movement screen, the t-test, vertical jump test, and push-up endurance test. The study will also recommend individual core strengthening exercise programs that will target and improve the musculature of the lumbar spine and trunk region according to scores received on the functional movement screen. A second assessment will attempt to determine how core exercises affected scores on the functional movement screen, t-test, vertical jump, and push-up endurance test.

Setting: Athletic Training Laboratory.

Participants: Fifteen intercollegiate women’s basketball players.

Conclusion: The results are of this study were inconclusive. Some components of the functional movement screen such as the agility t-test showed improved scores. However, most post-test scores showed little or no improvement.

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