A correlation among core stability, core strength, core power, and kicking velocity in Division II college soccer athletes

Context. Recent studies suggest that further research is needed to investigate important components and measurement of core stability in relation to athletic performance. The correlation between core stability and athletic performance has not been determined in the available literature. Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among core power, core strength, core stability, and athletic performance in college soccer athletes. Design. A descriptive correlational design was used to determine a relationship among core power, core strength, core stability, and athletic performance in college soccer athletes. Setting. The testing was performed in a controlled soccer field setting by the researcher. Participants. Eighteen Division II college male soccer athletes volunteered this study that were actively participating practice without any limitations. Interventions. Each subject was tested on two days. All subjects were tested by using the Rotatory Stability test (RS), the 60s Maximum Sit-Up test (60s MSUT), the Double Leg Lowering test (DLLT), and the soccer kicking test (SK). The RS was used to measure core stability, the DLLT was used to measure core strength, the 60s MSUT was used to measure core power, and a dynamic soccer-style kick (SK) was used to measure maximal kicking speed. Main outcome measures. RS score, 60s MSUT score, DLLT score, and SK score were computed from all test trials and correlation was examined among all four variables. Existing data on TSPU scores were additionally used for trunk stability. Results . There were no significant correlations among the RS, the DLLT, the 60s MSUT and the SK, for core stability, core strength, core power and maximum kicking velocity in healthy Division II 18 college soccer athletes. A significant moderate low correlation between the TSPU and the SK was present (r = .435, P = .036). Conclusions. Trunk stability and kicking velocity appears to be moderately related in healthy Division II collegiate athletes. The core tests that measure the isometric core stability without dynamic limb movements may be valid and reliable to assess core stability.