Üniversite düzeyindeki voleybolcuların ayak bileği fonksiyonları ve postüral kontrol değişkenleri yönünden incelenmesi

Ankle functions and postural control ability have great importance to understand the skills for the sport of volleyball. Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine different ankle functions and postural stability variables of volleyball players and healthy students. Method: The participants (21.18  1.76 year olds, F, n=40) included in the study were divided into two groups as volleyball (VG; n=20) and control (CG; n=20). Postural control variables (sway velocity, area of displacement and perimeter) was evaluated by static stability test (PK Prokin 252 stabiliometer). Ankle range of motion (ROM), joint position sense (JPS), vibration and strength measurements were evaluated. The Independent Sample T-test, Mann Whitney U test, and the Spearman Correlation Coefficient was used for statistical analysis. Results: Between the groups, significant differences were observed in dorsiflexion, eversion and inversion ROM, JPS, vibration sense in the 1st and 5th toe, dorsiflexor and plantar flexor isometric muscle strength and postural stability variables (p<0.05). The sway velocity was correlated with dorsiflexion ROM and invertion isometric muscle strength, the perimeter with eversion ROM, JPS at the 130 and 140 of ankle and vibration sense from the forefoot (p<0.05). The area of displacement was correlated with eversion ROM, dorsiflexor and evertor isometric muscle strength (p<0.05). Conclusion: Volleyball players have different ankle functions and better postural stability than healthy controls. Postural stability variables have been shown to be correlated with ankle functions. The examination of postural stability variables in athletes may be a marker in preventing sports-specific ankle injuries.