THE EFFECT OF CORE ACTIVATION ON HIP AND KNEE STABILITY

T. Kroon Corban University, Salem OR The connection between the core and hip and knee stability has been brought up in several different research studies, but the actual effect of core activation on hip and knee stability remains relatively unknown. PURPOSE: To identify whether knee and hip stability as measured by the Y Balance Test (YBT) can be improved by activating the core muscles with the dead bug exercise (DBE) before activity. METHODS: Collegiate male soccer players (N=20; freshman=10, sophomore=4, freshman=6) with a mean age of 20.05 + 1.395 years performed the YBT before and after 20 repetitions of the DBE. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in the right lower extremity Y balance composite score for all cases ( t (19) = 2.495, p = .022); left lower extremity composite scores did not show a statistically significant improvement (t (19) = 1.949, p = .066) but did improve (pre-test mean = 91.755 + 1.46; post-test mean = 92.715 + 1.384). CONCLUSION: From the data collected it appears that knee and hip stability as tested by the YBT can be shown to improve by activating the core muscles with the DBE before activity