Association Between Balance and Hip Muscle Strength in Inline Skaters

Abstract

Background: Inline skating has rapidly grown in popularity. Early research primarily focused on injury patterns and protective measures. However, its biomechanical similarity to other skating modalities enables the synthesis of existing evidence, emphasizing key physical attributes essential for performance, namely, balance and the strength of the hip adductor and abductor muscles. The interaction between these muscle groups in relation to balance has not yet been examined in inline skaters. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between single-leg static balance and the isometric strength of the hip adductors and abductors, including their strength ratio. Methods: A total of 191 amateur inline skaters (aged 18 to 59 years) were evaluated. Balance was assessed through center of pressure displacement using the Footscan® 9 platform, and the maximal isometric strength of the hip adductors and abductors was measured using a handheld dynamometer. A linear regression on the center of pressure (CoP) displacement was performed. Results: Age, sex, and skating frequency were the most influential predictors (p < 0.001), although strength variables also significantly predicted the CoP (p <0.05). Conclusions: Superior balance performance was observed in younger individuals, women, and those practicing five or more days a week. Furthermore, single-leg static balance was associated with an equilibrium between adductor/abductor strength, particularly when a low ratio was accompanied by high levels of hip adductor strength.