The Effect of Core Muscles’ Fatigue on Agility in Female Athletes

Fatigue is a common phenomenon during sports activities affecting athletic performance. Core muscle actions can affect performance of the whole body and extremities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of core muscle fatigue on female athletes’ agility. 30 healthy female students, active in sports teams, accomplished Illinois, 505 and T agility tests on two sessions. The first was held before and the second after the fatigue protocol. Within group comparisons were determined with paired t test. The results showed that core muscles fatigue can lead to significant reduction in agility tests scores (p < 0/05). Further, Cohen’s effect size value of T (d=0/673), 505 (d=1/925) and Illinois (d=1/873) agility tests suggested a moderate, and high to very high practical significance. According to the results, it is recommended to perform functional exercises simulated to sport activities; including agility and core stability exercises to prevent fatigue and injury.