| The Effect of Functional Core Muscle Fatigue on Knee Joint Position Sense in Female Karate Athletes (Kata) |
| Paper ID : 1728-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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parisa salami boghrabad *1, Zahra Arabshahi2, Amir esmaeili3 1ChatGPT said: Master of Science in Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran 2Master of Science in Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Karaj, Iran 3MA. Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises,Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch. Karaj, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Muscle fatigue is a physiological condition that can reduce the ability of muscles to generate force, thereby impairing motor control and coordination. Among athletes, especially in sports such as karate, maintaining neuromuscular control and proprioception is essential for balance, movement accuracy, and injury prevention. The core muscles play a central role in stabilizing the trunk and transferring forces to the lower limbs. Fatigue of these muscles may alter lower limb biomechanics and impair proprioceptive feedback mechanisms. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single session of functional fatigue of the core muscles on knee joint position sense in female karate athletes specializing in kata. Methods: This semi-experimental, applied study involved 30 female karate athletes aged 18–21 years from local karate clubs. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). The experimental group performed a functional fatigue protocol targeting the core muscles, including planks, side planks, and dynamic trunk stabilization exercises, until exhaustion. Knee joint position sense was measured before and after the intervention using a universal goniometer, with participants blindfolded to eliminate visual feedback. The control group did not perform any fatigue protocol. Data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: After the fatigue protocol, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in knee joint position sense accuracy compared to the control group (P < 0.05). This finding indicates that core muscle fatigue negatively affects proprioceptive acuity. Conclusion: Core muscle fatigue may compromise knee joint position sense and postural control in female karate athletes. Coaches and trainers should include core endurance and neuromuscular control exercises in training programs to minimize fatigue-related proprioceptive decline and reduce the risk of lower limb injuries. |
| Keywords |
| Core muscle fatigue, joint position, karate. |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
