Correlation of Pronated Foot Posture and Vertical Jump Measurement in Adolescent Recreational Basketball Players - An Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA); a whole joint disorder is a most common and progressive disease that worsens with age. Synovitis and synovial effusion can play important role in early OA diagnosis and progression. Limited Background: Jumping is a significant move commonly performed by basketball players, with an average of 44 jumps completed by each player during a competitive game. The influence of foot pronation on the mechanics of the lower extremities in basketball players' movements, particularly during repeated jumps and various landing techniques, is a significant area under investigation. Methodology: After receiving ethical approval, a total of 250 individuals underwent screening. Out of these, 85 participants were selected for the study on specific criteria and convenience sampling. Prior to the commencement of the study, written consent was obtained from the parents of the participants, along with their assent. The participants were then categorized into different groups based on their navicular drop, with Group 1 (consisting of 42 individuals) exhibiting a pronated foot posture, and Group 2 (comprising 43 individuals) displaying a neutral foot posture. Subsequently, the Sargent jump test was conducted on all participants, and the data obtained was analyzed for both groups. Results: Data from basketball players were examined using SPSS 16.0. After conducting an unpaired t-test (p=0.15, Df= 83, t= 1.43) and a Pearson correlation test (r=0.12 and r=0.08), it was found that there was no statistically significant correlation between pronated foot posture and vertical jump performance. Conclusion: This research study has determined that there is no connection between a pronated foot position and the vertical jump height among young recreational basketball players. Keywords: Pronated foot, Navicular drop, Vertical jump, Adolescent, Basketball players.