The purpose of the study was (1) to determine if core musculature strength gains were better with floor exercises or physioball exercises and (2) to determine if the number of non-contact lower extremity injuries would decrease with stronger core musculature in varsity women's volleyball and varsity women's and men's basketball players. Over 8 weeks of summer workouts, 20 female intercollegiate volleyball, 9 female and 16 male intercollegiate basketball players were studied. They were divided into 3 groups, physioball (BAL), floor (FLR), and control and performed core exercises 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Each athlete's core stability was tested via prone core neuromuscular control (NMC), erector spinae stabilization endurance (ESE), and core strength (CST) tests. The control group had significantly weaker core in all 3 tests: NMC (control M--1.33 mmHg, SD-3.662 mmHg; BAL M--7.467mmHg, SD-1.t138 mmHg; FLR M= -6.800 mmHg, SD-5.493 mmHg); ESE (control M-1.733 s, SD-6.273 s, BAL M-18.733 s, SD-8.198 s; FLR M-17.400 s, SD-6.885 s); CST (control M= 2.133', SD= 6.802'; BAL M-22.400', SD-9.148'; FLR M-22.667', SD-7.228'). BAL and FLR had 89% less ankle and 100% less knee injuries than the control group throughout this study. Control group had 25% more ankle and 150% more knee injuries than the BAL and FLR throughout this study. Physioball and floor exercises have similar core stability outcomes. Core stability has an important role in injury prevention.
