The Effect of Volleyball-Specific Injury Prevention Program on Dynamic Balance and Postural Stability in Young Male Volleyball Players; Randomized Controlled Trial

Fenerbahce University24 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a 12-week volleyball-specific warm-up program (VOLLEY12+) on neuromuscular performance in young male volleyball players. Neuromuscular performance is an important factor related to injury risk and athletic performance in youth sports. Twenty-four male volleyball players aged 15 to 17 years were allocated into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group performed the VOLLEY12+ warm-up program before each training session for 12 weeks, while the control group continued their usual coach-led warm-up routines. Neuromuscular performance was assessed before and after the intervention using balance and movement control tests, including the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), and the Y Balance Test. The results of this study will help determine whether a structured, sport-specific warm-up program can improve neuromuscular performance in adolescent volleyball players and support the use of injury prevention strategies in youth volleyball training.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy Healthy Adult Male Volleyball Players

Interventions

Regular Coach-Led Volleyball Warm-UpOTHER

Participants performed their usual coach-led warm-up routine prior to volleyball training. This routine consisted of low-intensity jogging, dynamic mobility, and stretching exercises, followed by basic volleyball-specific ball-handling drills. No structured injury-prevention or neuromuscular training components were included, and the content was not modified by the research team.

VOLLEY12+ Volleyball-Specific Warm-Up ProgramOTHER

A progressive volleyball-specific neuromuscular warm-up program (VOLLEY12+) performed before regular training sessions over a 12-week period. The program was designed to enhance dynamic balance, neuromuscular control, and landing mechanics by targeting the ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder regions. Exercises were progressively overloaded using changes in volume, distance, and external resistance, and the total duration of each session was approximately 16-20 minutes.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 15 YearsMax age: 17 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Male volleyball players aged 15-17 years * At least 3 years of volleyball training experience * Regular volleyball training ≥3 days per week, ≥60 minutes per session * No history of chronic or recurrent injury * Voluntary participation with informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Injury occurring during the study period * Voluntary withdrawal from the study * Inability to continue participation due to injury during the research process

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Static Balance Performance Assessed by the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS)

Static balance performance was assessed using the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). Participants performed double-leg, single-leg, and tandem stances on firm and foam surfaces. Each stance was held for 20 seconds, and balance errors were recorded by a blinded assessor. Total error scores were calculated at baseline (pre-intervention) and after the 12-week intervention period.

Time frame: Baseline and after 12 weeks