Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Muscle Function Obtained with Motion Mode Ultrasound and Surface Electromyography during Core Endurance Exercise
Published on: August 25, 2022
Effects of core strengthening on balance in university judo athletes
Heloisa Schroeder Martins1, Daniela Dero Lüdtke2, Júlio César de Oliveira Araújo1
1Physical Therapy Graduate Program, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNISUL), Palhoça, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Background:
Core strengthening prepares the body in an integral, safe and efficient way, favoring balance and postural control; physical abilities constantly demanded in sports, especially in body contact modalities, such as Judo.
Objective:
This study investigated the effects of core strengthening on balance in university judo athletes.
Methods:
Eighteen athletes from the University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNISUL) were randomly allocated into two groups: experimental (n = 9) and control (n = 9). Experimental group athletes were submitted to a core strengthening protocol (30-min sessions, twice a week for 5 consecutive weeks). Evaluations consisted of Stabilometic (center of pressure behavior parameters: total area in mm2, laterolateral and anteroposterior width in mm) and baropodometric analysis [peak pressure: obtained during a 30-s acquisition period and expressed by foot area, i.e., (a) forefoot (metatarsal heads and toes); and (b) hindfoot (calcaneus region, distal third of the foot)]. Right/left foot ratios were calculated as relative percentages and used for the analysis. The analyzes were performed at baseline and after 5 weeks of core strengthening. The athletes were evaluated in two situations: eyes-open and eyes-closed.
Results:
Total right/left foot ratio pressure, right/left fore and hindfoot ratio pressure, as well as anteroposterior width measurements were statistically smaller in the experimental group.
Conclusion:
Although the results obtained showed that core strengthening presents certain benefits, these data alone are not enough to confirm its effects upon postural oscillation in university judo athletes.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
01:15Equilibrium and Balance
01:25Internal Forces and Center of Gravity
Internal forces are generated within a body due to the interaction between its particles. These forces can be categorized into tension, compression, and...
01:26Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
01:21Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - II
Consider two children sitting on a seesaw, which has negligible mass. The first child has a mass (m1) of 26 kg and sits at point A, which is 1.6 meters (r1) from the pivot point B; the second child has a mass (m2) of 32 kg and sits at point C. How far from the pivot point B should the second child sit (r2) to balance the seesaw?
00:49Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - I