The Neuromuscular Parameters Affecting Static and Dynamic Balance in Adolescent Male Soccer Players with Dynamic Knee Valgus
Authors:   Department of Sports Biomechanics and Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran., Samakoush Hamed Babagoltabar , Norasteh Ali Aghar ,   Department of Corrective Exercise and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Medicine, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims The anterior cruciate ligament injury in athletes is associated with disorders related to balance and postural control. Poor balance is a predictor of lower limb injury in athletes. This study aims to investigate the different neuromuscular parameters that affect the static and dynamic balance in adolescent male football players with Dynamic Knee Valgus (DKV). Methods This is a correlational study. Participants were 83 adolescent male football players with DKV (age: 12.63±0.72 years, height: 1.69±0.07 meters, weight: 23.23±7.74 58 kg, BMI: 20.32±2.38 kg /m2), who were selected using a purposive sampling method. The presence of DKV was assessed by the squat test. The strength of the trunk and hip muscles was assessed by manual muscle testing (MMT), trunk endurance by the McGill test, and range of motion (ROM) of hip and ankle joints by a goniometer. Moreover, the static and dynamic balances were evaluated by the Bass Stick test and Y balance test, respectively. The Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationships at a significance level of 0.05. All statistical operations were performed by SPSS software, version 24. Results The results of the present study showed a significant relationship between static balance and the study parameters (P≤0.05) except for trunk flexion strength (P=0.16) and ROM (P<0.05), hip flexion ROM (P=0.83), hip extension ROM (P=0.96), hip abduction ROM (P=0.77) and ankle dorsiflexion ROM (P=0.94). The dynamic balance at anterior-posterior direction had a significant relationship with trunk endurance and left-side plank (P=0.07) and strength (P=0.05), but not with plank test score (P=0.45). The dynamic Y balance at posteromedial direction had a significant relationship with all variables except for 60° flexion (P=0.40), plank (P=0.53), left-side plank (P=0.09), and trunk extension strength (P=0.23). The results of the study also showed the significant relationship of dynamic balance at posterolateral direction and the total score of Y balance test with total trunk endurance test score (P=0.03, P=0.003) and right-side plank (P=0.005, P=0.001). Moreover, trunk extension strength and hip strength variables had a significant relationship with posterolateral dynamic balance and total Y balance test score (P≤0.05). Furthermore, the ROM of ankle dorsiflexion had a significant relationship with balance at the posteromedial (P=0.03), posterolateral (P=0.02) directions and the total Y balance score (P=0.02). Conclusion Static balance of adolescent male soccer players with DKV has a significant relationship with trunk endurance, trunk strength and thigh strength. There is a significant relationship between dynamic balance and trunk endurance, trunk strength, hip strength, and ankle dorsiflexion ROM.