Evaluation of balance and muscle strength in physical education students with recovered lower limb injuries

Abstract

The main aim was to evaluate effects of lower limb injuries on balance and muscle strength in university physical education students. Sixty voluntary students of both sexes from the Dumlupinar University School of Physical Education, Kutahya, Turkey were divided into two groups: Thirty students had lower limb injuries and recovered without physical therapy program as Recovered Group (RG), mean age 21.7 ± 1.5 (19–26); and thirty students a non-injured control group (CG), mean age 20.7 ± 1.8 (18–29) years. RG were injured 56.7% ankle, 43.3% knee injuries and were recovered since 3.6 ± 1.7 (2.5–6) months. Both groups are training sports (basketball, volleyball, soccer and judo) twenty hours a week. The CG was selected in order to match the RG characteristics, such as: age, mass and sex. Standing on dominant and non-dominant leg, functional reach and manual muscle tests were used for assessment. Static and dynamic standing one leg test on non-injured leg, eyes open, and injured leg, eyes closed, were significantly lower in RG (p < 0.05). The results showed no significant differences between the groups in muscular strength and functional reach test values (p > 0.05). This study show that unreported lower limb injuries impairs propriception sense and balance which may increase risk of re-injury. Although after recovered injury muscle strength can gain in short time but balance is still decreased. In this situation players are opened for severe injuries. One leg standing balance a simple test that could be used clinically to monitor lower extremity injury, and also to identify athletes with decreased functional stability, who may be more at risk of sustaining injury.