Effects on Jump Shooting Accuracy when Using Unstable Surfaces for Functional Balance Training of Youth Basketball Players
(Nasser Abouzeid Ibrahim, Tomasz Zając, Gabriel Lupu, Mohamed Saad, Miłosz Drozd, Hachim Shani, Alin Larion, Waheed Essa, Thulfiqar Saleh, Mahmoud Hashim, Amr Saber Hamza, Mazin Hasan Alhasany)

This study examined the effects of a 10-week functional balance training program using unstable surfaces on dynamic postural control, lower-limb power, and technical shooting performance in adolescent male basketball players. Twenty-one participants were assigned to an experimental group (n = 11; age 16.14 ± 1.13 years) or a control group (n = 10; age 16.89 ± 1.34 years). Both groups trained three times per week over the intervention period. The experimental group completed additional neuromuscular exercises on unstable surfaces, while the control group performed traditional resistance-based routines. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the Y-Balance Test (YBT), vertical jump height, and jump shooting accuracy (JSA). Statistically significant improvements in dynamic balance (p < 0.001, d = 1.84) and shooting efficiency (p < 0.001, d = 1.78) were observed in the experimental group. The control group also improved significantly in balance (p = 0.021, d = 0.87) and shooting accuracy (p = 0.014, d = 0.95), but to a lesser extent. Between-group comparisons demonstrated significant advantages for the experimental group in both the YBT (p = 0.007, d = 1.00) and JSA (p = 0.004, d = 1.07). No significant improvements were found in vertical jump performance in either group (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that incorporating functional balance training into basketball conditioning programs may enhance postural control and technical shooting execution, with a notable effect size, particularly in dynamic balance. The improvements in Y-Balance scores indicate enhanced sensorimotor control, although further research is needed to clarify the underlying neuromechanical mechanisms.