Relationship between balance capacity and jump ability in amateur soccer players of different age

It’s well known that in many sport activities, a technical gesture performed in situation of balance is more effective and easier to perform. Short-term balance training (BT), seems to be effective for rapidly improving the muscular strength and for reducing imbalances between corresponding limbs (1, 2). The latter may be of particular interest for the prevention of injuries in the youthful soccer teams. The aim of the present study was to investigate the link between balance and strength in young soccer players. The experiment was carried out on 133 young male soccer players (age: 18.2±1.9). The Libra Fixed Point (LPF)- Libra Closed Eye (LB) balance tests as well as the Counter Movement Jump (CMJ-CMJMono) tests resulted significantly (P<0.05) correlated (r=0.43 and r=0.63, respectively; P<0.01). Significant correlations (P<0.05) were found between the balance LPF and CMJ (r=-0.36, P<0.01), between LB and CMJ (R=-0.22, P<0.05), between LPF and CMJMono (r=-0.48, P<0.01) and between LB and CMJMono tests (r=-0.42, P<0.01). These results suggest interest on the effects of Balance Training.