Comparison of postural stability and regulation among male athletes from different sports

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the postural control of 50 male athletes (age: 24.9 ± 4.55 years) who participate in different elite-level competitive sports. Athletes from two team sports from the third German league (ice hockey: n = 16; soccer: n = 23), and one individual sports (diving: n = 11) were included. These athletes were investigated using posturography under different conditions (e.g., stable surface, unstable surface; eyes open, eyes closed) to determine postural stability and regulation. Most of the performance maxima were found among the divers (6), followed by ice hockey (5) and soccer (4). The biggest effect of sport was found in the stability indicator, where the subject was standing on a stable surface and their eyes were closed (NC; p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.273). This significance was observed between the soccer (17.3 ± 5.66) and diving (24.9 ± 6.98) subjects. The stability indicator had the largest significant effect (50%, 2/4). These results provide coaches and athletes insight into the postural stability and regulation of male athletes in sports with different demands on postural control. Especially for soccer players, it may be beneficial to address muscular imbalances to reduce the risk of lower extremity injuries.