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.