Role of physical and motor performance in predicting functional movement capacity in youth female volleyball players

Purpose This study aims to determine the extent to which physical and motor performance can predict functional movement capacity, an important indicator of mobility and injury risk in young volleyball players. Methods A total of 41 young female volleyball players (age = 12.90 ± 1.07; height = 157.00 ± 0.06 cm; body weight = 50.54 ± 14.06 kg) who regularly participated in volleyball training and competitions voluntarily took part in the study. Physical performance components were assessed using balance, agility, and vertical jump tests, while motor performance was evaluated through the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK3+) motor competence test. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between these variables and Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores. Results The analysis revealed that agility, countermovement jump (CMJ), and KTKMS were significant predictors of FMS (R = 0.780, p p p p p > 0.05). Conclusions The combined effect of agility, vertical jump, and KTKMS movement patterns, which are closely related to volleyball-specific movements, plays a crucial role in predicting functional movement capacity and injury risk in young volleyball players. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of educational programs for athletic performance specialists and coaches.