Improvement in Dynamic Balance and Core Endurance After a 6-Week Core-Stability-Training Program in High School Track and Field Athletes

Context: Core training specifically for track and field athletes is vague, and it is not clear how it affects dynamic balance and core-endurance measures. Objective: To determine the effects of a 6-week core-stabilization-training program for high school track and field athletes on dynamic balance and core endurance. Design: Test retest. Setting: High school in north central West Virginia. Participants: Thirteen healthy high school student athletes from 1 track and field team volunteered for the study. Interventions: Subjects completed pretesting 1 wk before data collection. They completed a 6-wk core-stabilization program designed specifically for track and field athletes. The program consisted of 3 levels with 6 exercises per level and lasted for 30 min each session 3 times per week. Subjects progressed to the next level at 2-wk intervals. After 6 wk, posttesting was conducted Main Outcome Measures: The subjects were evaluated using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) for posteromedial (PM), medial (M), and anteromedial (AM) directions; abdominal-fatigue test (AFT); back-extensor test (BET); and side-bridge test (SBT) for the right and left sides. Results: Posttest results significantly improved for all 3 directions of the SEBT (PM, M, and AM), AFT, BET, right SBT, and left SBT. Effect size was large for all variables except for PM and AM, where a moderate effect was noted. Minimal-detectable-change scores exceeded the error of the measurements for all dependent variables. Conclusion: After the 6-wk core-stabilization-training program, measures of the SEBT, AFT, BET, and SBT improved, thus advocating the use of this core-stabilization-training program for track and field athletes.