To examine the relationship between body control ability and player position in college basketball, ability to balance and reaction time of the hamstrings were measured in 12 female basketball players aged 18 to 23 years, who were four gaurds, one forward, four centers, one centerforward and two guardforwards.
As ability to balance, postural sway data were collected for 20s while the subjects stood barefoot, looking straight ahead. A Postural Sway Measurement System provided the date. Subjects performed in following balance activities: 1) balancing on two legs in which one foot was directly in front of the other (first with the eyes open and then with the eyes closed), 2) balancing on each leg (first with the eyes open and then with the eyes closed), 3) balancing on each leg on an unstable board with the eyes open keeping not moving, 4) balancing on each leg on an unstable board with the eyes open trying maximal sway.
As reaction time of the hamstrings, premotor time of medial and lateral hamstrings were measured by electromyography when the subjects were instructed to react to the sudden passive forward movement of the input arm of the Cybex II.
Cluster analysis of the results above showed the relationship between ability to balance and player position, especially, the same kind of ability was demonstrated among the guards. For off-season conditioning program, ability to balance as body control ability must be considered according to player position.
