The Effect Of Core Strengthening Exercises On Hip And Knee Strength Of Luge Athletes

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of core strengthening exercises on hip and knee strength of

luge athletes.26 sled athletes, including the research group(n=13) with an average age of 18.46±3.47 years

and the control group(n=13) with an average age of 18.41±2.71 years, participated in the study. Athletes in

both groups performed pretest and posttest measurements in concentric-concentric mode on the knee

and hip joints in the flexion and extension directions, 5 repetitions at 60º/sec angular speed and 15

repetitions at 180º/sec angular speed. After the pre-test, both groups started routine training and in addition

to routine training, core strengthening training was applied to the research group for 45-60 minutes, 3 days

a week for 8 weeks. SPSS 22.0 computer program was used for the statistical analysis of the obtained data.

In the pre-post test comparison of the study group, significant differences were found in the angular speed

of 60º/sec in the flexion direction of the knee on the right and left, in the flexion and extension directions of

the hip on the right and in the flexion directions on the left, in the angular velocity of 180º/sec, in the right

and left flexion and extension directions of the knee, in the right and left flexion directions of the hip, and in

the left extension direction. In the pre-post test comparison of the control group, a significant difference

was found in the angular velocity of 60º/sec, and in the right hip extension direction, In the angular velocity

of 180º/sec, in the knee, right flexion direction and right and left extension direction, hip, right and left flexion

direction and right extension direction. Although the improvement in the study group was higher in the

pre-post test comparison between the groups, no significant difference was found. We attribute the lack of

significant difference in our study to the fact that our practice was in the general preparation phase, and

that our athletes in the control group, who practiced routinely, also lost weight together with strength gain

and this had a direct effect on the relative work and relative torque parameters.