Study Design: Correlation study
Objectives: To objectively evaluate the relationship between core stability and athletic performance measures in male collegiate athletes.
Background: The relationship between core stability and athletic performance has yet to be quantified in the available literature. The current literature does not demonstrate whether or not core stability relates to functional performance. Questions remain regarding the most important components of core stability, the role of sport specificity, and the measurement of core stability in relation to athletic performance.
Methods: A sample was thirty collegiate athletic, selected intentionally from the student athletes in Minia University teams, The athletic teams represented in the current study population included; men's basketball (10), men's Handball (10), men's Volleyball (10). Participants performed a series of eight tests: Trunk Flexion, Back extensors, Right Flexion, Left Flexion, the forty yard dash, the T-test, vertical jump, and a medicine ball throw.
Results: Correlations between the some core stability tests and each of the other four performance tests were determined .
Conclusions: There appears to be a link between a core stability test and athletic performance tests; however, more research is needed to provide a definitive answer on the nature of this relationship. Ideally, specific performance tests will be able to better define and to examine relationships to core stability. Future studies should also seek to determine if there are specific sub-categories of core stability which are most important to allow for optimal training and performance for individual sports.