Analysis of the Relationship between Elite Wrestlers’ Leg Strength and Balance Performance, and Injury History

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between leg power and balance performance in elite wrestlers and injury history. In the research group, there are 18 elite freestyle male wrestlers at the ages of 24.27 ± 3.18 years, with a height of 171.86 ± 5.44 cm and a body weight of 79.27 ± 11.16 kg. Information on the injury history of the athletes’ upper legs for the past year was collected via interviews with the club’s physiotherapist. Laboratory tests to measure performance assessed height, body weight, Y balance and isokinetic leg strength. Data obtained from the study are presented as mean and standard deviation. The test of normality was carried out by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The Pearson Correlation Test was performed for all parameters with normal distribution, and significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. It was found that there is a relationship between the wrestlers’ right leg ratio and hamstring strength and injury history. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between left leg hamstring, quadriceps, ratio, right leg quadriceps, or right and left leg balance performance, and injury history. The resulting data shows that the proportioning between hamstring and quadriceps muscles in freestyle wrestlers’ upper leg strength values is not ideal. This finding provides evidence that injury risk increases with the additional impact of loss of strength.

The investigation of isokinetic knee strength and muscle balance of taekwondo and wrestling athletes

“…In addition, the statistical difference between H/Q ratios (p<0.05) shows that taekwondo athletes have lower H/Q strength ratios. In previous isokinetic studies, it was determined that the knee isokinetic strength of taekwondo (Choi et al, 2021;El-Ashker et al, 2022;Hammami et al, 2013;Harbili et al, 2022;Kang et al, 2021) and wrestling (Çimen Polat et al, 2018;Drid et al, 2009;Hoseini et al, 2022;Kraemer et al, 2001;Tatlici, 2021;Tatlici et al, 2021) athletes supported our research results. This result may be due to the fact that taekwondo explosively trains roundhouse and rotating kicks that require lower extremity FLX and EXT strength.…”

Isokinetic muscle strength cannot be related to the odds ratio of musculoskeletal injuries in young elite wrestlers

“…Uğur et al [ 16 ] declared that as the strength of leg muscle increases, the injury risk decreases, it has also been reported that the proportion between hamstring and quadriceps muscles in freestyle wrestlers’ upper leg strength values is not ideal. Addressing that injury risk increases with loss of strength [ 17 ]. Studies have shown that eccentric quadriceps strength and low eccentric flexor/extensor ratio are related to an increase in anterior cruciate ligament injury risk, and emphecized that H/Q values should be determined to prevent injuries, and also for rehabilitation [ 18 ].…”