Effect of Six Weeks of Core Stability Exercise and Hopping on Balance among Female University Students with Ankle Instability

  It is essential to consider balance as a modifiable risk factor to consequently prevent injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of core stability and hopping exercises on balance among girls with ankle instability. A total of 36 female university students (age 22.08±7.1 year, height 1.61±0.05 m, and weight 58.77±9.89 kg) from among 90 individuals with an ankle instability were objectively selected from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman and were randomly divided into three groups of 12: the core stability group, the hopping group, and the control group. The CIAT questionnaire was used to select people with ankle instability and the balance was measured using Biodex Balance System before and after six weeks of intervention program (3 times per week with 30 minutes duration per session) in the similar times and condition. The control group did not have any sport activities during this period. The results of mix repeated measure ANOVA test showed that there was a significant difference between core stability and hopping exercises groups in balance (p=0.001). The results also showed that balance was significantly different between pre-test and post-test in core stability group (P=0.000) and in the hopping group (P=0.001). The result of the current study showed that core stability and hopping exercises can be useful training programs for improving balance among girls with ankle instability.