Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of sports injuries among young female volleyball players, driven by biomechanical and hormonal factors, necessitates effective prevention strategies. Screening tools like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) often show incons...

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Main Authors: Mustafa Erol, Fatma Gozlukaya Girginer, Sinan Seyhan, Gorkem Acar, Gunay Cerit, Meliha Uzun, Caglar Soylu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1658046/full
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author Mustafa Erol
Fatma Gozlukaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Gorkem Acar
Gunay Cerit
Meliha Uzun
Caglar Soylu
author_facet Mustafa Erol
Fatma Gozlukaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Gorkem Acar
Gunay Cerit
Meliha Uzun
Caglar Soylu
author_sort Mustafa Erol
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of sports injuries among young female volleyball players, driven by biomechanical and hormonal factors, necessitates effective prevention strategies. Screening tools like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) often show inconsistent predictive validity for injury risk in this population. This study investigates associations between FMS, SEBT, agility, and muscle strength with injury risk in young female volleyball players to refine prediction models and inform targeted interventions.MethodsA cross-sectional, observational study involved 30 female volleyball players (aged 14–18 years, mean age 16.2 ± 1.3 years, mean volleyball experience 3.5 ± 1.1 years) from a Turkish amateur club. Assessments occurred over 2 days after a 5-min warm-up, with 2-min rests between trials, conducted by trained evaluators. On day one: (1) Functional Movement Screen (FMS), scoring seven movement patterns (0–21); (2) Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), measuring reach in eight directions, normalized to leg length. On day two: (3) Agility t-test, a timed T-shaped course; (4) Countermovement Jump (CMJ), recording the highest of three jumps.ResultsSignificant differences emerged in FMS scores (p = 0.0012), SEBT anterior asymmetry (p < 0.0001), and CMJ heights (p = 0.0198) across risk groups, with LR (n = 5) showing superior performance (FMS M = 15.4 ± 0.9, CMJ M = 38.2 ± 3.3 cm) versus HR (n = 9, FMS M = 10.8 ± 2.1, CMJ M = 27.2 ± 8.9 cm). A moderate negative correlation (r = −0.41, p = 0.0236) between FMS and SEBT asymmetry, and positive correlations with anterior reach (r = 0.37–0.45, p < 0.05), were noted. High-risk athletes (n = 18) were taller (M = 174.2 ± 5.8 cm, p = 0.0013) and showed a 4.2-fold increased risk with FMS ≤ 14 and CMJ < 30 cm (OR = 4.20, p = 0.0158), with combined FMS/SEBT predicting risk with 89% accuracy (AUC = 0.89, p < 0.0001).ConclusionFMS scores, SEBT asymmetry, and CMJ heights effectively predict injury risk in young female volleyball players, with thresholds (FMS ≤ 14, SEBT ≥4 cm, CMJ < 30 cm) guiding targeted interventions. The study’s focus on gender-specific risks and height-related biomechanics offers a foundation for tailored prevention programs, reducing healthcare costs and promoting equitable sports participation, aligning with global health priorities.
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spelling doaj-art-e640805c918f4825ab1495c5b07399ac2025-08-25T05:25:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-08-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16580461658046Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessmentsMustafa Erol0Fatma Gozlukaya Girginer1Sinan Seyhan2Gorkem Acar3Gunay Cerit4Meliha Uzun5Caglar Soylu6Faculty of Sports Sciences, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Istanbul Rumeli University, Istanbul, TürkiyeFaculty of Sport Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, TürkiyeFaculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, TürkiyeDepartment of Sport Science, Institute of Graduate Education, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, TürkiyeDepartment of Physical Education and Sports, School of Physical Education and Sports, Şırnak University, Şırnak, TürkiyeSchool of Physical Education and Sports, Department of Coaching Education, Şırnak University, Şırnak, TürkiyeGülhane Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, TürkiyeBackgroundThe increasing prevalence of sports injuries among young female volleyball players, driven by biomechanical and hormonal factors, necessitates effective prevention strategies. Screening tools like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) often show inconsistent predictive validity for injury risk in this population. This study investigates associations between FMS, SEBT, agility, and muscle strength with injury risk in young female volleyball players to refine prediction models and inform targeted interventions.MethodsA cross-sectional, observational study involved 30 female volleyball players (aged 14–18 years, mean age 16.2 ± 1.3 years, mean volleyball experience 3.5 ± 1.1 years) from a Turkish amateur club. Assessments occurred over 2 days after a 5-min warm-up, with 2-min rests between trials, conducted by trained evaluators. On day one: (1) Functional Movement Screen (FMS), scoring seven movement patterns (0–21); (2) Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), measuring reach in eight directions, normalized to leg length. On day two: (3) Agility t-test, a timed T-shaped course; (4) Countermovement Jump (CMJ), recording the highest of three jumps.ResultsSignificant differences emerged in FMS scores (p = 0.0012), SEBT anterior asymmetry (p < 0.0001), and CMJ heights (p = 0.0198) across risk groups, with LR (n = 5) showing superior performance (FMS M = 15.4 ± 0.9, CMJ M = 38.2 ± 3.3 cm) versus HR (n = 9, FMS M = 10.8 ± 2.1, CMJ M = 27.2 ± 8.9 cm). A moderate negative correlation (r = −0.41, p = 0.0236) between FMS and SEBT asymmetry, and positive correlations with anterior reach (r = 0.37–0.45, p < 0.05), were noted. High-risk athletes (n = 18) were taller (M = 174.2 ± 5.8 cm, p = 0.0013) and showed a 4.2-fold increased risk with FMS ≤ 14 and CMJ < 30 cm (OR = 4.20, p = 0.0158), with combined FMS/SEBT predicting risk with 89% accuracy (AUC = 0.89, p < 0.0001).ConclusionFMS scores, SEBT asymmetry, and CMJ heights effectively predict injury risk in young female volleyball players, with thresholds (FMS ≤ 14, SEBT ≥4 cm, CMJ < 30 cm) guiding targeted interventions. The study’s focus on gender-specific risks and height-related biomechanics offers a foundation for tailored prevention programs, reducing healthcare costs and promoting equitable sports participation, aligning with global health priorities.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1658046/fullinjury preventionvolleyballfemale athletesfunctional movement screeninjury risk assessment
spellingShingle Mustafa Erol
Fatma Gozlukaya Girginer
Sinan Seyhan
Gorkem Acar
Gunay Cerit
Meliha Uzun
Caglar Soylu
Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
Frontiers in Public Health
injury prevention
volleyball
female athletes
functional movement screen
injury risk assessment
title Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
title_full Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
title_fullStr Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
title_full_unstemmed Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
title_short Predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
title_sort predicting injury risk in young female volleyball players through movement and jump assessments
topic injury prevention
volleyball
female athletes
functional movement screen
injury risk assessment
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1658046/full
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