Suspension Training as a Preventive Strategy: Effects on Muscle Activity, Landing Mechanics, and Balance in Female Athletes with Trunk Dominance Dysfunction

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Narges Ziaee 1
Reza Rajabi 2
Yousef Moghadas Tabrizi 2
Mohammad Kalantariyan 3
1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, YI.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Health and Sport Medicine, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.
10.48311/ijmpp.2025.117571.82907
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to determine whether a six-week progressive Total Resistance Exercise (TRX) suspension training program enhances feedback and feed-forward full-name (EMG) activity of the trunk and lumbo-pelvic muscles and leads to improved landing mechanics and dynamic balance in female athletes exhibiting trunk-dominance impairment.
Method and Materials: This study was a two-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Thirty female student-athletes (aged 18–25 years) were screened with the Tuck-Jump Test (abbreviated name) for trunk-dominance impairment and randomized to either a TRX training group (intervention) or a no-intervention group (control). The intervention group completed a supervised 6-week TRX program (3 times per week). Outcome measures included feed-forward and feedback EMG activity of the transversus abdominis, external oblique, quadratus lumborum, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius, as well as dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test) and landing mechanics as Landing Error Scoring System(LESS).
Findings: A mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant improvements in feed-forward and feedback muscle activity, LESS scores, and dynamic balance in the training group (p < 0.05). Conversely, the control group showed no significant changes (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the six-week TRX suspension training program was highly effective in enhancing both anticipatory and reactive neuromuscular control in female athletes with trunk-dominance impairment. These physiological improvements translate to significant functional benefits, including safer landing mechanics and enhanced dynamic balance. Therefore, suspension training represents a valuable, evidence-based modality for injury prevention and performance optimization in at-risk athletic populations.

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International Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain Prevention
Volume 11, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 1348-1355