Postural control impairment in young competitive badminton players with knee injuries

Balance is critical, particularly in high-paced sports like badminton, where quick movements are frequent. The purpose of this study is to explore how knee injuries affect the balance, both static and dynamic, of badminton players compared to their healthy counterparts. This cross-sectional study recruited 80 male badminton players with 40 in the knee injury group (KIG) and 40 in the healthy group (HG). Static and dynamic balance was analysed using balance error scoring system (BESS) and Y-balance test (YBT) respectively. An independent t-test was used to analyse the significant difference in both static and dynamic balance between two groups. BESS showed significant difference between both groups in tandem stance (p = .00) and total BESS scores on the firm surface (p = .00). The YBT showed significant changes only in the anterior direction between the group, for dominant leg (p = .001) and non-dominant leg (p = .001). No significant differences were observed in other directions. Players with knee injuries show postural control impairments, including higher errors and reduced anterior reach exhibiting a potential health risk. These deficits compromise static and dynamic balance, emphasizing the need for targeted balance training and rehabilitation intervention.