Importance Of Balance In Netball

Balance is important for netball players as they have single leg reaching activities when passing ball and changing their position time to time within a narrowed base. They need good balance to shoot the ball successfully and to maintain a good defensive stance posture. Lavipour D, 2011 and Sinaki M et al, 2004 have reported that poor balance leads to falls and injures.

There are two divisions in loco-motor balance. They are static loco-motor balance and dynamic loco-motor balance. Dynamic loco-motor Balance is defined as an ability to control the center of gravity (COG) within the base of support (BOS) while the body parts are in motion (Raymakers, Samson and Verhaar, 2005 and Sinaki et at, 2004).

Levangie and Norkin (2005) defined kinetic

Therefore, it requires coordinated and sequential muscle activation patterns to control proper joint movement. CKC exercises enhance the proprioceptive feedback to initiate and control muscle activation patterns (Augustsson and Thomee, 2000). The open kinetic chain exercises are defined as exercises that are performed when the distal part (hands or legs) are free to move when doing exercise. There is an isolated muscle contraction which occurs with one joint movement of the chain. It generates more distraction and rotation force at the joints and the type of muscle contraction is concentric. (Augustsson and Thomee, 2000).

The open and close kinetic chain exercises have some biomechanical differences. The forces which are produced inside the joints and type of muscle contraction are different. So the ability to strengthen the muscles, ability to get coordinated muscle contractions and proprioceptor stimulation from the joints are different in both exercises (Augustsson and Thomee,

2) For physiotherapist

With the results of this study physiotherapists will be able to understand the differences between the OKC and CKC exercises and be able to prescribe the most appropriate therapeutic exercises to develop dynamic balance.

3) For coaches

Results of this study will help coaches to understand the differences between OKC exercises and CKC exercises. With this knowledge coaches will be able to train the players to get the maximum dynamic balance of them and enhance their performances.

4) for future researchers

The results will indicate the differences between OKC and CKC exercises in developing dynamic balance. Further researches can be carried out to find out different types of CKC and OKC exercises to improve the dynamic balance abilities.

When they are conducting research to study regarding the other factors which influence the dynamic balance, these results will be helpful for them to design their methodologies with minimum biases.

2.2. Enhance