Effect of Core Stability Trainings on Functional Movement Screening Scores and Trunk Muscle Endurance in Female Kyokushin Karate Athletes

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of six weeks of core instability training on functional movement screening (FMS) scores and core trunk endurance in female Kyokushin karate athletes. Methods: Thirty female Kyokushin Karate athletes aged 14 - 18 years were recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group (n = 15 per group). Functional movement patterns, including the FMS, Sorenson, and McGill tests, were assessed before and after the intervention. The experimental group underwent six weeks of Kyokushin Karate training, while the control group performed core stability exercises. The statistical analysis involved paired t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with a significance level set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: The paired t-test results indicated a significant difference in pre- and post-test scores in both the control and experimental groups (P < 0.05). However, the ANCOVA showed no significant differences between the groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Both Kyokushin training and core stability exercises have been found to increase core stability and FMS scores. Therefore, it can be suggested that Kyokushin Karate athletes may not need to perform separate core stability exercises as part of their training routine.