Comparison of the effect of plyometric jumping exercise on knee joint proprioception sense in athletes and basketball players

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of six-week plyometric jumping exercise on knee joint proprioception of basketball and track and field athletes and to examine the relationship between the two sports branches. Material and Methods: The research was conducted as a semi-experimental study with 24 basketball players and 24 athletes, studying at ADÜ Faculty of Sports Sciences between October 2023 and January 2024. All participants were first measured with the joint position sense protocol and knee joint proprioception at 0Flex, 45Flex, 60Flex, 15Ext, 45Ext and 90Ext angles. Then, both branch groups were given plyometric exercise for 6 weeks. In the study, the effects of 6-week plyometric jumping exercises on athletes and basketball players and the differences between the groups were determined using the pretest-posttest measurement method. Findings: According to the statistical analysis results, 0Flex measurement is within the group for both branches, 45flex measurement is within the group and between groups in the Athletics group, 60Flex measurement is between groups and in the Athletics group, 15Ext measurement is between groups, 45Ext is within the group and between genders in both branches, 45Ext A statistically significant difference was seen within the group in the Athletics group in the measurement, and finally between the groups in the 90Ext measurement and in the intra-group comparisons of both groups (p <0,05). On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in the 0Flex and 45Ext measurements and in the intra-group tests in the 45Flex, 60Flex and 45Ext measurements in the Basketball group (p>0,05). Result: As a result, in this study, it was concluded that plyometric exercises created a statistically significant difference between groups in knee joint proprioception at 45Flex, 60Flex, 15Ext and 90Ext angles. In the basketball group, a significant difference within the group was observed only in the 0Flex, 15Ext and 90Ext angles. On the other hand, a statistically significant positive effect level was detected in all aspects in the Athletics group. Keywords: Athletics, Basketball, Knee joint, Plyometric exercise, Proprioception.