Research Aim: the current study aimed to investigate the effect of six weeks training on the sand surface on the coordination patterns of the thigh-leg and leg-foot in teenage female futsal players during the stance phase of running.
Research Method: Kinematic data from eleven futsal teenage girl players with an average weight of 50.11 ± 8.89 Kg (pre test) and 49.70±8.90 Kg (post test), 154.15±90.66 cm height, age 11-16 years old were recorded by the six video cameras. the coordination patterns of the thigh-leg were determined by using the vector coding method in four sub-phases of the stance phase of running after and before a selected six-week training program on the sand surface. Paired t-test was used to compare the coordination of six coupling motions between pre and post-test in each sub-phases of running stance (p < 0.05).
Findings: A six-week training program on the sand surface significantly changed the coordination index in internal/external rotation of the leg and thigh segment in the first sub-phase (p = 0.01); internal/external rotation of the leg and inversion/eversion of the foot segment in the first and fourth sub-phase (p = 0.02) of the stance phase of running. However, no significant effect of the training program was observed in the other coupling motions.
Conclusion: The coordination pattern of the thigh-leg segment at the first sub-phase was anti-phase, so after the exercise program the thigh segment dominancy (close to the trank) could be observed. Furthermore, the coordination pattern of the foot-leg segment led to foot dominancy after the training on the sand during the first sub-phase. In the fourth sub-phase, finding showed that the leg-foot coordination pattern changed into foot dominancy and in-phase coordination after the exercise program.