The Impact of Mobility and Stability Training on Balance Performance in Elite Surfers

Elit Sörfçülerde Mobilite ve Stabilite Antrenmanlarının Denge Performanslarına Etkisi

Ayşe Zeynep Türkoğlu¹, Barış Baydemir²*

¹Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Graduate School of Educational Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Çanakkale, Turkey ORCID: 0009-0000-7635-7848
Email: aysezeynepturkoglu@gmail.com | Phone: +90 535 014 7179

*²Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Çanakkale, Turkey ORCID: 0000-0002-8653-0664
Email: barisbaydemir@hotmail.com | Phone: +90 543 901 4515


Abstract
This study examined the effects of mobility and stability training on the balance performance of elite surfers. The research included 40 athletes—20 in the control and 20 in the experimental groups—who participated in windsurfing in the IQFoil discipline and resided in İzmir, Turkey. All participants had at least three years of training experience (control group: age 15.10 ± 4.21 years; experimental group: age 15.8 ± 4.76 years).
The participants were divided into two groups: the control group continued their routine training, while the experimental group undertook an additional stability and mobility training program for eight weeks, three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), alongside their regular training regimen.
Anthropometric measurements (height, body weight, and BMI) and dynamic and static balance assessments were conducted. Data collected from the athletes were analyzed using the SPSS statistical package. Descriptive statistics were calculated based on the distribution characteristics of the data. A paired-sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were utilized to evaluate pre- and post-test differences.
The findings indicated that the pre-test and post-test measurements of the control group did not exhibit any statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in the experimental group in BMI, right anterior, right posteromedial, right lateral, left anterior, left posteromedial, left lateral, proper final, or left final pre-test and post-test measurements (p > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in the experimental group’s right-leg static balance, left-leg static balance, and double-leg static balance pre-test and post-test measurements (p < 0.05).
This study demonstrates that mobility and stability training can enhance balance performance in elite windsurfers. Exercises aimed at enhancing mobility and stability improve athletes’ balance abilities and help mitigate the risk of injury. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating such training programs to promote long-term athletic success and maintain a healthy sporting career.
Keyword: Surfing, balance, IqFoil, stability, mobility.
Öz
Bu çalışma, elit sörfçülerde mobilite ve stabilite antrenmanlarının denge performanslarına etkisini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırmaya İzmir ilinde ikamet eden lqfoil branşında rüzgar sörfü yapan, en az 3 yıl antrenman yaşına sahip (kontrol yaş 15,10±4,21, deney yaş 15,8± 4,76) 20 kontrol 20 deney grubu olmak üzere toplam 40 sporcu katılmıştır. Sporcular kontrol ve deney grubu olmak üzere iki gruba ayrılmıştır. Kontrol grubu rutin antrenmanlarına devam ederken, deney grubuna rutin antrenmanlara ek olarak 8 hafta boyunca haftada 3 gün (pazartesi, çarşamba, cuma) stabilite ve mobilite antrenmanları uygulanmıştır. Araştırmada sporculara antropometrik ölçümleri (boy uzunluğu, vücut ağırlığı, BKI) ve denge performansları (dinamik-statik) ölçülmüştür. Sporculardan elde edilen veriler için SPSS paket programı kullanılmıştır. Verilerin dağılım özelliklerine göre tanımlayıcı istatistikleri yapılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde ön-son test farklılıkları için bağımlı örneklem t-testi ve varyans analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulgularında kontrol grubundan alınan ön test ve son test ölçümleri anlamlı şekilde farklılık göstermemiştir (p>0,05). Deney grubunda BKI, sağ anterior, sağ ostero medial, sağ lateral, sol anterior, sol ostero medial, sol lateral, sağ sonuç, sol sonuç ön test ve son test ölçümleri anlamlı şekilde farklılık göstermemiştir (p>0,05). Ancak deney grubundan alınan sağ bacak statik denge, sol bacak statik denge ve çift bacak statik denge ön test ve son test ölçümleri anlamlı farklılık göstermiştir (p<0,05). Bu çalışma, mobilite ve stabilite antrenmanlarının elit rüzgar sörfçülerinin denge performansını iyileştirebileceğini ortaya koymuştur. Mobilite ve stabiliteyi geliştiren egzersizler, sporcuların denge yeteneklerini arttırıp aynı zamanda sakatlanma riskini azaltmaktadır. Bu sonuçlar, sporcuların uzun vadeli başarıları ve sağlıklı spor kariyerleri için bu tür antrenmanların önemli olduğunu göstermektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler Sörf, Denge, IQFoil, Stabilite, Mobilite

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APA Citation

Türkoğlu, A. Z., & Baydemir, B. (2025). The Impact of Mobility and Stability Training on Balance Performance in Elite Surfers. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS), 2(1), 170-181.

MLA Citation

Türkoğlu, Ayşe Zeynep, and Barış Baydemir. “The Impact of Mobility and Stability Training on Balance Performance in Elite Surfers.” International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS), vol. 2, no. 1, 2025, pp. 170-181.

ISO 690 Citation

TÜRKOĞLU, Ayşe Zeynep; BAYDEMIR, Barış. The Impact of Mobility and Stability Training on Balance Performance in Elite Surfers. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS), 2025, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 170-181.

Vancouver Citation

Türkoğlu AZ, Baydemir B. The Impact of Mobility and Stability Training on Balance Performance in Elite Surfers. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS). 2025;2(1):170-181.

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