Effect of Eight-Week Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Pattern-Based Exercises on Performance Scores and Postural Stability in Elite Men Basketball Players

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Background and objective. Balance is essential to an athlete's ability and may be affected by some interventions like exercise. The Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) exercises to facilitate and control neuro-muscular systems. This study investigated the Effect of eight-week Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) pattern-based exercises on function and balance in elite basketball players. Materials and methods. This study was a randomized field trial. For this purpose, a total of 34 elite athletes were divided into two experimental (N = 17) and control groups (N = 17) by a simple blocked randomization method. The PNF pattern-based exercises were given to the experimental group for eight weeks and three weekly sessions. The athletes' function, balance, and stability range before and after eight weeks were collected using a 15-attempt basketball and Biodex device test. ANCOVA was performed to analyze data at a significant level of alpha > 0.05. Results. After 8 weeks of (PNF) pattern-based exercises, there was a significant difference between two groups on the function (p = 0.001) and postural stability indicators (total stability of (p = 0.001)), external-internal stability (p = 0.001), posterior-anterior (p = 0.001) in post-test of two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions. PNF pattern-based exercises improve the function and balance of elite basketball players. It is recommended that these exercises be used in basketball players' programs.