Estimation of Dynamic Balance and Its Correlation with Selected Anthropometric Variables, Agility, Flexibility and Peak Lower Limb Strength in Inter-University Footballers Position-Wise

Introduction Football is a popular team game worldwide. The objectives of the present study were to estimate the dynamic balance of the inter-university football players, and to search its correlations with selected anthropometric variables, agility, flexibility and peak lower limb strength. Materials and Methods A total of purposely selected 100 Indian inter-university football players (84 males and 16 females) aged 18-25 years were collected from various universities of Punjab, India. To serve these purposes, star excursion balance test of both left and right leg, five anthropometric variables, viz. height, weight, body mass index, mid-thigh circumference and percent body fat, sit and reach test, Illinois agility test and vertical jump test were measured on all the subjects. The age of the subjects was determined from their respective university records. Results In male footballers, the one way analysis of variance showed statistically significant between-group differences (p0.003-0.001) in star excursion balance test of both left and right leg and vertical jump test only. No significant between-group differences were found in female footballers among any of these four sets of data. In star excursion balance test of both right and left leg, statistically significant positive correlations (p0.050) were found only in vertical jump test, and statistically significant negative correlations (0.026-0.001) with weight, BMI, percent body fat and Illinois agility test in male footballers. However, in female footballers, significant negative correlation (p0.014) of star excursion balance test of right leg was found only with Illinois agility test. Conclusion It might be concluded from the findings of the present study that in male footballers, the star excursion balance test of right and left leg had statistically significant negative correlations with weight, BMI, percent body fat and Illinois agility test.