engleski

Effect of proprioceptive training on agility performance

Only few studies on effects of proprioceptive training focused on physical characteristics improvement such as leg muscles strength (Heitkamp et al., 2001 ; Tropp & Askling, 1988) or jumping ability (Ziegler, 2002). The purpose of this study was to determine proprioceptive training effects on agility performance. Seventy-five healthy and physically active men participated in this study (age: 19 ± ; 1.2 yr). They were randomly allocated into experimental (n=37) and control group (n=38). Agility was assessed before and after the experiment using three tests: 20 yards running with 180° turns (y20), lateral shuffle 6x4m (LAT) and lateral hops over 30cm high bench in 10 seconds (HOPS). Experimental group carried out a 10 week proprioceptive training program. Differences within and between groups were analysed using repeated-measures two-way ANOVA and Post hoc Tukey test. Results in y20 showed significant changes induced by experimental program. Post hoc Tukey test revealed that the difference between groups exists at the end of experiment (p<0.01), but also that the significant difference exists in pre- and post- experiment results in control group (p<0.05). Specifically, control group had lower values achieved in this test at the end of experiment, while the results of experiment group did not differ significantly from their pre-test values. In LAT and HOPS no significant changes were found as a result of experimental program. Although previous results showed improvement in strength of leg flexors and extenstors and foot flexors and extensors, as well as higher force development after ground contact in jumping (Bruhn et al., 2004) after proprioceptive training that could possibly lead to changes in agility performance, in this study no significant changes in agility performance were found. Since the agility is a complex movement, possible partial effects did not result in improvement of total task efficiency. Kaminski et al. (2003) did not found improvements in strength of foot invertors and evertors after the proprioceptive training program. According to specificity of lateral movement, strength of those muscles and leg adductors and abductors could have high influence on test result. This training program was more focused on anterio-posterior direction exercises, than medio-lateral ankle joint movements. Also, leg adductors and abductors were not specifically targeted. Further research on proprioceptive training effects on agility performance is needed.

agility ; proprioception ; traning

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