Neuroathletic Training in Adolescent Basketball Players

Pamukkale University30 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of neuroathletic training on dynamic visual acuity, endurance, balance, and injury risk in adolescent basketball players. Licensed basketball players aged 14-17 years will be randomly assigned to either a neuroathletic training group or a control group. The training group will receive sport-specific progressive neuroathletic exercises in addition to their regular basketball training for one week, while the control group will continue their usual training routine. Before and after the intervention, participants will be assessed for dynamic visual acuity, core muscle endurance, balance, functional movement, pain, and kinesiophobia. The findings of this study may help clarify whether neuroathletic training can improve performance-related outcomes and reduce injury risk in adolescent basketball players.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Neuroathletic Training Adolescent Basketball Players Dynamic Visual Acuity

Interventions

neuroathletic trainingOTHER

This intervention is a progressive neuroathletic training program developed by the research team to improve motor skills, balance, eye coordination, and vestibular function in adolescent basketball players. The program is performed for approximately 20 minutes per day over 6 days and includes visual relaxation exercises, eye massage, unilateral vertical jumping, Brock string training, shoulder/wrist/ankle circular movements, sacculus activation, cerebellar activation, and antisaccade exercises. The content is progressively advanced across days by integrating balance challenges and visual-vestibular tasks.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 14 YearsMax age: 17 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: Aged between 14 and 17 years, Being a professional or amateur basketball player, Participating in sports for at least five hours per week and having engaged in the sport for a minimum of two years, Having no cognitive or motor dysfunction, Providing written informed consent signed by the parents/legal guardians. Exclusion Criteria: Reporting a back or lower extremity injury within the previous six months, Having any relevant medical history or current condition that could affect the balance system or perception-action system (e.g., neurological disorders, inner ear disorders, or color blindness), Using medications or substances that could affect balance and visual-motor reaction time performance.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Functional Movement Screen (FMS) total score

Assessment of injury risk and movement quality using the Functional Movement Screen total score. The test consists of 7 movement patterns scored from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating better functional movement quality and lower injury risk.