Correlation between speed and agility with an influence of gender in adolescent Kho-Kho players—an observational study

Abstract

Abstract Background Adolescent girls who participate in sports have injuries 4–6 times greater as compared to boys. Several factors are responsible for the injuries are as anatomical, biomechanical, hormonal, and some extrinsic factors. The ideal level of motor characteristics, including speed, endurance, agility, and flexibility, determines how well a player performs in Kho-Kho. Speed and agility are two major components for better Kho-Kho performance. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between speed and agility with an influence on gender in Kho-Kho players. Method A total of 75 participants (boys 34 and girls 41) Kho-Kho players in the age groups 11–17 years were included in the study based on selection criteria. For the agility-modified T test for speed, a 50-m Dash test was done. Results Pearson’s correlation was used to analyze the collected data. The results indicated a moderate correlation between agility and speed in both genders ( r = 0.404, p = 0.001), but in boys specifically, it showed a moderate correlation( r = 0.586, p = 0.001) and in girls, it showed a weak correlation ( r = 0.267, p = 0.095). Conclusion It can be concluded from the results of this study that there is a moderate correlation between speed and agility in Kho-Kho players, but boys have a moderate and girls have a weak correlation this indicates combining both genders and a particular gender also shows a weak to moderate correlation between speed and agility in adolescent Kho-Kho players.