Critical review of the impact of core stability on upper extremity athletic injury and performance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Programs designed to prevent or rehabilitate athletic injuries or improve athletic performance frequently focus on core stability. This approach is based upon the theory that poor core stability increases the risk of poor performance and/or injury. Despite the widespread use of core stability training amongst athletes, the question of whether or not sufficient evidence exists to support this practice remains to be answered. OBJECTIVES: 1) Open a dialogue on the definition and components of core stability. 2) Provide an overview of current science linking core stability to musculoskeletal injuries of the upper extremity. 3) Provide an overview of evidence for the association between core stability and athletic performance. DISCUSSION: Core stability is the ability to control the position and movement of the trunk for optimal production, transfer, and control of forces to and from the upper and lower extremities during functional activities. Muscle capacity and neuromuscular control are critical components of core stability. A limited body of evidence provides some support for a link between core stability and upper extremity injuries amongst athletes who participate in baseball, football, or swimming. Likewise, few studies exist to support a relationship between core stability and athletic performance. CONCLUSIONS: A limited body of evidence exists to support the use of core stability training in injury prevention or performance enhancement programs for athletes. Clearly more research is needed to inform decision making when it comes to inclusion or emphasis of core training when designing injury prevention and rehabilitation programs for athletes.

Restriction in the hip internal rotation of the stride leg is associated with elbow and shoulder pain in elite young baseball players

“…5,21 A breakage in the kinetic chain could affect elbow and shoulder injuries. 5,7,33 Some studies have reported a positive association between elbow and shoulder injuries and biomechanical dysfunction of the trunk and lower extremities (eg, lumbopelvic control, 7 hip ROM, 29 and foot posture 13 ) in adult baseball players. Although Sakata et al 28 suggested that a prevention program aiming to improve physical function can prevent elbow injuries, only a few studies have examined the relationship of physical dysfunction of the trunk and lower extremities with elbow and shoulder pain in young baseball players.…”

“…27,34 In our clinical experience, we have seen injured baseball players with biomechanical dysfunction such as hamstring tightness, hip ROM restriction, and scapular dysfunction. 30,33 We anticipated that physical dysfunction would be a risk factor for overload in the elbow and shoulder. As physical function directly affects the joint mechanical profile and is amenable to targeted intervention, it should be emphasized in prevention programs.…”

Core Endurance Relationships With Athletic and Functional Performance in Inactive People

“…Previous studies have suggested that greater core strength can facilitate force transmission from the proximal body segments (i.e., trunk or core) to the extremities, increasing motor efficiency (Hibbs et al, 2008;Silfies et al, 2015;Tong et al, 2016;Vega Toro et al, 2016). However, this relationship has not been well established by previous research.…”

“…This statement has been reinforced by experimental results, which have shown that core fatigue reduces the ability to produce shoulder strength during isometric contractions (Rosemeyer et al, 2015). These findings suggest that core fatigue hinders the stabilization of the core structures, which in turn, reduces the force production (Kibler et al, 2006;Silfies et al, 2015). However, it is still unclear to what extent core endurance could influence functional or athletic performance (Tse et al, 2005;Nesser et al, 2008;Tong et al, 2014).…”

Leistungsorientierte, zeitlich unabhängige Rehabilitationsprogression, ein Vier-Phasenmodel

“…Ein Abbau der Rumpfkraft kann z. B. schnell zu Haltungsproblemen führen, die resultierend die Bewegungsqualität mindern [37].…”