This study examined the effects of elastic band exercises added to a traditional warm-up program on throwing performance and viscoelastic properties of upper extremity muscles in adolescent female handballers. Thirty female handballers aged 12-18 years participated in the study. The athletes were randomly divided into control (n = 15) and experimental (n = 15) groups. While elastic band exercises in addition to a traditional warm-up program, six days a week for six weeks. Throwing performance, viscoelastic properties, strength, and endurance of the upper extremity were evaluated by the Throwing Accuracy Test, Myotonometry, Modified Push-Up, and Medicine Ball-Throw Test, respectively. Immediate effects of warm-up showed significant improvements in standing and jumping throws in the experimental group (p 0.05), but no improvement in standing throws in the control group (p = 0.504). Regarding viscoelastic properties, a significant increase in deltoid elasticity was observed in the Experimental Group (p = 0.023). Long-term effects showed improvements in throwing accuracy and changes in viscoelastic properties in both groups, with significant differences in biceps muscle tone and stiffness in the experimental group (p 0.05). Significant improvements were also observed in Modified Push-Up and Medicine Ball Throwing Test results in both groups (p 0.05). In conclusion, elastic band exercises added to the traditional warm-up improved throwing accuracy and altered the viscoelastic properties of upper extremity muscles in handballers.
Özçelik et al. (Sun,) studied this question.