| Gender Differences in Postural Control Among Elite Handball Players |
| Paper ID : 1245-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
|
Mitra Abedi, Mohammad Hosein Alizadeh, Erfan Shakiba *, Fatemeh ٍEslamipour Department of Sports Injuries and Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Background: Postural control is crucial for athletic performance and injury prevention, as impaired balance increases lower-limb injury risk. Gender-related physiological and biomechanical differences may affect stability and postural strategies (1). Understanding these differences informs injury mechanisms and guides gender-specific training. This study investigated gender differences in static postural control among elite handball players and their potential implications for differing injury risk profiles. Methods: The present study employed a descriptive-comparative design and included 152 participants (68 males and 84 females) from the Handball Premier League. COP measurements were conducted using a PT-SCAN force plate in a bipedal stance, with participants maintaining balance while standing on both feet for 60 seconds. Extracted COP variables included Ellipse Area, Major Axis Length, Minor Axis Length, Major Axis Angle, COP Path Length, Medio-Lateral standard deviation (SD-X), and Anterior-Posterior standard deviation (SD-Y). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. To examine gender differences, the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test was applied, with statistical significance set at P<0.05. Results: Analysis of gender differences in postural control among in elite handball players showed no significant differences among males and females across all COP variables, including Ellipse Area (p = 0.553), Major Axis Angle (p = 0.419), Major Axis Length (p = 0.736), Minor Axis Length (p = 0.510), COP Path Length (p = 0.970), Medio-Lateral SD (SD-X, p = 0.719), and Anterior-Posterior SD (SD-Y, p = 0.659). Discussion: Elite male and female handball players showed similar static postural control across all COP variables. Despite gender related physiological and biomechanical differences, no significant disparities were observed, suggesting that high performance training mitigates potential differences. These findings indicate that gender alone does not substantially affect static balance and emphasize the importance of sport-specific adaptations. Such insights can inform targeted training and preventive strategies to reduce lower-limb injury risk in elite athletes. |
| Keywords |
| Postural Control, Balance, Center of Pressure, Handball |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
