Pes planus level affects counter movement jump performance: A study on amateur male and female volleyball players

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pes planus level on counter movement jump (CMJ) performance parameters in amateur female and male volleyball players. In this context, amateur volleyball players aged between 18 and 23 years actively playing in the university school volleyball team were included in the study. Pes planus levels of the participants were analyzed using the navicular drop test (NDT). My Jump Lab application was used for CMJ measurement. Within the scope of CMJ, the participants’ jump height, force, relative force, power, relative power, average speed, take-off speed, impulse, and flying time were analyzed. According to the linear regression results between NDT and CMJ parameters, force in males (t = 12.93, P = .049) and average speed in females (t = −3.52, P = .017) were significantly associated with NDT. NDT was similar in men and women (P > .05). However, all CMJ parameters were highly different between genders (P < .001). In the correlation analysis between sport age and physical characteristics and CMJ parameters; height (r = .386, P = .046), weight (r = .569, P = .002), leg length (r = .389, P = .045), foot length (r =. 558, P = .005), foot width (r = .478, P = .018), force (r = .407, P = .039), impulse (r = .460, P = .018) parameters, and sport age. The results suggest that the average speed in females and force in males both significantly influenced NDT, highlighting the significance of both factors in predicting NDT scores. Moreover, all CMJ measures showed significant variations between genders, although the NDT scores did not. Furthermore, the correlation analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between a number of physical attributes and CMJ parameters, highlighting the multifaceted nature of athletic performance and indicating the possible impact of these attributes on CMJ results.