Comparison of Static Balance among Cricket, Badminton, Football and Track and Field Athletes

Abstract

BACKGROUND The balance plays an indispensable role in many sports. Static balance is crucial for a postural control and has an exceptional effect on the performance of sports players and for injury prevention. Sports like cricket, football, track and field, and badminton requires static balance for the execution of a sports-specific skill. Single leg stance test was used to assess balance on a surface during a 30 sec single-leg standing posture with eyes open and eyes closed. The main goal of this study was to determine that, in which sport the static balance was more and in which sport the static balance was inferior. The objectives were to assess the static balance in cricket, badminton, track and field, football athletes and compare the static balance in all 4 sports [cricket, badminton, track and field, football] METHODS A total of one hundred and twenty - four athletes [124], cricket {N = 31}, football {N = 31}, badminton {N = 31}, track and field {N = 31} voluntarily participated in the study. Static balance was assessed by using single leg stance test with eyes open and eyes closed. RESULTS By comparing all sports, it showed that there was a statistically significant difference between cricket, football, badminton and track and field athletes in dominant and non - dominant leg with eyes open and eyes closed. With eyes open, a static balance was demonstrated superior in track and field followed by football, cricket and least in badminton players in the dominant leg and non-dominant leg. (P < 0.0001) Whereas, with eyes closed, comparing between sports individually, there showed no such significant difference between dominant and non-dominant leg. Static balance was superior in track and field followed by football, by cricket and least in badminton in dominant and non-dominant leg (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Track and field players did not differ in dominant and non-dominant legs. In contrast, badminton players displayed mediocre static balance with eyes open and football players displayed mediocre static balance with eyes closed. There was no significant difference between open and closed eyes. But the balance score showed superior balance in open eyes when compared with closed eyes. KEY WORDS Athletes, Static Balance, Single Leg Stance Test, Balance, and Sports Performance.