Plyometric and balance training exercises are important components of injury pre

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Biomechanics May 2006

Athletes benefit from plyometrics, balance

By: Lori Rochelle Roniger

http://biomech.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187203194

Plyometric and balance training exercises are both important

components of injury prevention programs, according to the results of

a study published in the March issue of The American Journal of

Sports Medicine.

Investigators assigned 18 female high school volleyball players to

participate in 18 90-minute training sessions over seven weeks. Eight

subjects (with a mean age of 15.9) took part in a plyometrics

program, which emphasized performing jumps with maximum effort and

power and cutting techniques with quick reactions and maximum effort.

Ten subjects (mean age of 15.6) participated in a balance training

and dynamic stabilization program that included exercises involving

relatively unstable surfaces and torso flexion and extension and

rotational strength moves.

Participants in both programs saw significant decreases in coronal

plane kinematics during vertical and medial drop landings. However

only the plyometrics group saw significantly greater knee flexion at

initial contact and maximum angle during the drop vertical jump

following training, whereas only the balance training group

experienced significantly increased maximum knee flexion during the

medial drop landing.