Evaluation of Lower Extremity and Core Strength in Young Female and Male Volleyball Players

Volleyball is an anaerobic team sport that involves various complex movements and requires adequate body position sense. Therefore, volleyball players' most important physical characteristics are balance, agility, endurance, reaction speed, explosive strength, and quick strength. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between core strength and functional performance of lower extremities in male and female volleyball players. A total of 19 (11 female, eight male) volleyball players aged 16-20 years (11 female, eight male) who were students of Ondokuz Mayis University Yasar Dogu Faculty of Sports Sciences participated in the study voluntarily. The inclusion criteria were determined as athletes with at least three years of active sports history and regular training. Height, weight, and Body Mass Index measurements were taken at the first visit. Then, shuttle test, plank test, push-up, single hop for distance (SH), triple hop for distance (TH), crossover triple hop for distance (CH), medial side triple hop for distance (MSTH), and medial rotation (90 degrees) with hop for distance (MRH) and Y Balance Test were performed with randomized practice cards. When the push-up, sit-up, and plank tests were compared between men and women, a significant difference was found in the shuttle parameter (p>0.05). When the athletes' Single Leg Hop test parameters were evaluated, there was no significant difference, only in SH between the sides in men. At the same time, there was no significant difference only in medial rotation (90 degrees) with hop in women (p>0.05). While there was a significant difference in triple hop for distance, crossover triple hop for distance, medial side triple hop for distance (MSTH) and medial rotation (90 degrees) with hop between the parties in men, a statistically significant difference was found in single hop for distance, triple hop for distance, crossover triple hop for distance, medial side triple hop for distance parameters in women (p<0.05). When single-leg hop Tests LSIs were compared between male and female groups, no statistically significant difference was found in all parameters (p>0.05). When the findings of our study were examined, it was determined that although there was a significant difference in Single Leg Hop test parameters between dominant and non-dominant sides in the groups, the LSI values seen in male and female groups were between normal values, and there was no limb asymmetry. However, there was no difference between genders in LSIs, and similar results were found for men and women. In the core strength tests, while similar results were seen between genders in push-up and plank parameters, the significant difference in the shuttle test revealed that men had better core strength than women.