Neuromuscular Training Improves Postural Stability in Young Female Athletes

Y-balance normative data for female collegiate volleyball players

“…27 The YBT-LQ assesses range of motion (ROM), strength, and neuromuscular control of the lower extremity and was chosen to assess the participants' lower limb balance as numerous prior studies have demonstrated its utility as a clinical test to assess for lower limb balance deficits in the athletic population. 12,21,30,31 Measurements were taken in 3 distinct directions of anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM) and posterolateral (PL) on both the dominant and non-dominant limbs. The dominant limb was determined as the lower extremity on which the athlete puts majority of weight on during hitting approach, which was the same side as the arm used to hit the ball.…”

Associations Between Single-Leg Postural Control and Drop-Landing Mechanics in Healthy Women

“…Hurd et al 27 reported that perturbation training improved quadriceps-hamstring balance and increased active knee stiffness during frontal-plane perturbations in a group of female athletes. Paterno et al 28 reported that female athletes who participated in a 6-week balance-and plyometric-training program significantly improved sagittal-plane single-limb postural stability. Myer et al 29,30 reported that balance training reduced knee-valgus and -varus moments during a single-limb dynamic stabilization task.…”

Methodological approaches and rationale for training to prevent anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes

“…Others have shown that this type of proprioceptive and balance training can improve postural control and that lack of postural control, and stability were also related to increased risk of ankle injury (Tropp et al, 1984; Tropp & Odenrick, 1988; Holm et al, 2004). Likewise, improvement in single‐leg stability can be gained with a neuromuscular training program that incorporates perturbations into balance training on unstable surfaces (Paterno et al, 2004). Balance training has also been shown to improve maximum lower extremity strength and decrease side‐to‐side imbalances in stabilometric measures (Heitkamp et al, 2001).…”

“…Though the effects of core strength and balance training on measures of performance have not been clearly demonstrated, the effects of these types of neuromuscular training are likely substantial (Heitkamp et al, 2001). Functional core strengthening and balance training can improve dynamic balance (Holm et al, 2004; Paterno et al, 2004). Increased dynamic balance may help provide the athlete with a dynamically stable core that can be more prepared to respond to the high forces generated at the distal body parts during athletic competition.…”

“…Adolescent female basketball, soccer, and volleyball players were evaluated prior to 6 weeks of comprehensive neuromuscular training. After training, the athletes demonstrated improved performance measures (back squat, single‐leg hop and hold distance, vertical jump, speed), as well as several biomechanical factors related to injury risk (increased knee flexion–extension range of motion, decreased valgus moments during the landing phase of a vertical jump and improved single‐leg dynamic stability) (Hewett et al, 2004a; Paterno et al, 2004). The results of these studies support the hypothesis that the combination of multiple injury prevention training components into a comprehensive program improves measures of performance and movement biomechanics.…”