The effects of core and corrective exercises on FMS test scores in elite aerobic gymnasts

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a core and corrective exercise program on Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores in elite-level aerobic gymnasts. A total of 50 elite aerobic gymnasts competing at national level and registered with clubs affiliated to the Turkish Gymnastics Federation voluntarily participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 14.73 ± 2.56 years. The exercise program consisted of structured core stabilization and individualized corrective exercises and was implemented three days per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting approximately 35 minutes. Functional movement levels of the participants were assessed before and after the intervention using the FMS test battery, which consists of seven subtests evaluating movement quality, mobility, stability, balance, and neuromuscular control. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 22.0, and paired-samples t-tests were applied to compare pre-test and post-test scores. The results indicated a statistically significant improvement in total FMS scores following the exercise program (p < .001). The mean total FMS score increased from 12.46 ± 2.02 in the pre-test to 18.39 ± 1.51 in the post-test. The mean difference in total score was -5.93 ± 1.31, and this difference was found to be statistically significant (t = -28.94, p < .001). Analysis of the FMS subtests revealed significant improvements across all movement components. Mean scores increased from 1.65 ± 0.58 to 2.58 ± 0.50 in the deep squat, from 1.83 ± 0.63 to 2.68 ± 0.47 in the hurdle step, from 1.44 ± 0.50 to 2.39 ± 0.49 in the in-line lunge, from 2.24 ± 0.48 to 2.85 ± 0.35 in shoulder mobility, from 2.27 ± 0.54 to 2.80 ± 0.40 in the active straight leg raise, from 1.68 ± 0.52 to 2.59 ± 0.49 in the trunk stability push-up, and from 1.39 ± 0.58 to 2.44 ± 0.50 in rotational stability. All improvements were statistically significant (p < .001). These findings indicate that the applied exercise program effectively enhanced key components of functional movement, including balance, mobility, stability, and intermuscular coordination. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that core stabilization and corrective exercises significantly improve functional movement quality and FMS scores in elite aerobic gymnasts. The findings suggest that incorporating structured core and corrective exercise programs into regular training routines may contribute not only to performance enhancement but also to the reduction of movement asymmetries and potential injury risk. Therefore, it is recommended that core and corrective exercises be systematically integrated into training programs for elite aerobic gymnasts. Keywords: aerobic gymnastics, core exercises, corrective exercises, Functional Movement Screen, functional movement