The Effects of Six Weeks of Core Stability Exercises on Balance and Running Performance of Female Sprinters

Background and Aims The weakness of core muscles can cause changes in the biomechanics of the body and reduce balance. This study aims to assess the effects of six weeks of core stability exercises on the balance and running performance of female sprinters. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design. The study population consists of all professional female sprinters aged 18-30 years in Isfahan, Iran, of whom 30 were selected using purposive and convenience sampling methods and randomly divided into two groups of exercise (n=15) and control (n=15). The exercise group performed the exercises for 8 weeks, three sessions per week, each for 60 minutes. Before and after the exercises, the static balance, dynamic balance, and running performance were measured using the Stork test, the Y balance test, and the 60-m running test, respectively. To analyze the data, the analysis of covariance was used. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results The results showed that, after controlling the effect of pre-test score (covariate), there were significant differences between the two groups in static balance (P=0.01), dynamic balance (P=0.001) and running performance (P=0.004) after the core stability exercises, where the exercise group had significantly better scores than the control group in all variables. Conclusion Considering the positive effects of core stability exercises on static and dynamic balance and 60-m running performance of female sprinters, the coaches are recommended to use these exercises to improve the athletes’ balance and performance.