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Archive > Year 2007, Number 2

Range Of Motion In The Lower Extremity: Elite Vs. Non-Elite Soccer Players


Authors

Ostojić Sergej, Faculty of Sport & Tourism, Metropolitan University
Stojanović Marko, Faculty of Sport & Tourism, Metropolitan University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe flexibility characteristics of elite Serbian soccer players, and make comparisons with non-elite counterparts to find a relationship between results from the flexibility tests and competition level. Two male soccer teams participated in the study with Squad A (n = 30) competed in the professional First National League while Squad B (n = 30) played in the amateur Third Division. Sit-and-reach test and goniometric measurements were done for hip (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial and lateral rotation), knee (flexion, extension, medial and lateral rotation) and ankle (dorsiflexion, plantar flexion) of dominant leg. No statistically significant difference was found between the Squad A and Squad B for passive knee, hip and ankle flexibility (p > 0.05). However, we found a significant difference in sit-and-reach test results between groups with a significantly superior range of motion in the non-elite players as compared to their elite counterparts (36.4 ± 5.2 vs. 29.1 ± 4.7; p < 0.05). It appears that goniometric measurement of hip, knee and ankle range of motion seems to be indiscriminative method of joint flexibility between elite and non-elite soccer players.

Keywords

range of motion, competition, goniometry, soccer players

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