Correlation between Core Stability and Upper-Extremity Performance in Male Collegiate Athletes

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of core stability, as measured by the McGill and double-leg lowering (DLL) test, with upper-extremity performance, as measured by the upper-quarter Y-balance test (UQYBT), medicine ball throw test (MBTT) and functional throwing performance index (FTPI) test, in collegiate athletes. Materials and Methods: A sample of 61 collegiate athletes from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University participated in the study. Their core stability was assessed through their McGill and DLL test scores. Their upper-extremity performance was assessed through their UQYBT, MBTT and FTPI test scores. Results: The McGill test score had a significant strong positive correlation with the MBTT score (p = 0.02, r = 0.67) and a significant moderate positive correlation with the UQYBT score (p = 0.01, r = 0.46). There was no significant correlation between the McGill and FTPI test scores (p ≥ 0.05). The DLL test score was positively correlated with the MBTT score (p = 0.02, r = 0.25) but had no significant correlation with the other sports performance variables (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: The study results suggest that core stability measures are positively correlated with most of the upper-extremity athletic-performance measures in collegiate athletes. The MBTT score was found to be the most significantly correlated with the scores in both core stability tests among all the upper-extremity athletic-performance tests in this study. However, due to the nature of this study, a cause–effect relationship cannot be established on the basis of the study’s findings, and the study results should be interpreted with caution.

Effects of a 6 week core strengthening training on measures of physical and athletic performance in adolescent male sub-elite handball players

“…Again, our hypothesis can just partly be confirmed as only the CS of the throwing and the non-throwing arm reach and the IL reach of the non-throwing arm reach were significantly improved in favour of the INT group. This finding goes in line with possible correlations between shoulder mobility/stability and core strength in different populations ( 35 , 44 ). As in our study partially improvements were detected for the parameters of muscular strength, positive adaptations in terms of shoulder mobility/stability as secondary effects of core strengthening training were also unlikely.…”

Correlations between core muscle strength endurance and upper-extremity performance in adolescent male sub-elite handball players

“…The finding that higher core muscle strength endurance is associated with higher shoulder mobility/stability goes in line with Westrick et al ( 18 ) who reported significant positive relationships of YBT-UQ performance with dominant ( r = 0.38, p = 0.04) and non-dominant ( r = 0.45, p = 0.01) side lateral trunk endurance. In accordance, Nuhmani et al ( 22 ) found significant positive correlations between the McGill Score and the YBT-UQ ( r = 0.46, p = 0.01) as well as the MBTT ( r = 0.67, p = 0.02). The present associations may be explained by the fact that the Bourban test is an all-out test that is performed until continuation is no longer possible therefore requiring good level of strength endurance which is also needed during the YBT-UQ.…”

“…Based on the findings of other studies ( 18 , 22 ) that reported correlations between core strength and performance parameters we hypothesized that correlations existed between core strength and (a) the performance parameter (YBT-UQ) and (b) the sport-specific parameter (throwing velocity) in handball players.…”

“…For instance, Westrick et al ( 18 ) found positive relationships between core muscle strength and the Upper Quarter Y Balance (YBT-UQ) test in members from a United States Military Academy. Moreover, Nuhmani et al ( 22 ) in collegiate athletes reported positive associations between core muscle strength and upper-extremity performance (i.e., YBT-UQ test, medicine ball throw test). On the contrary, negative correlations between core muscle strength endurance and upper-extremity performance (i.e., bat swing velocity) were reported by Lin et al ( 19 ) for male high school baseball players.…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, only one study in handball ( 16 ) and a relatively small number of studies in general ( 17 – 22 ) assessed the associations between core muscle strength and upper-extremity performance both on a general as well as on a sport-specific level. Precisely, Tomasa et al ( 16 ) assessed the relationship between strength in trunk flexion and throwing velocity in sixteen female elite-level handball players (19.9 ± 3.1 years) from Norway.…”