the Effect of Stabilization on Archery Performance

Archery can be described as a comparatively static sport requiring strength and endurance of the upper body, in particular the forearm and shoulder girdle. Skill in archery is defined as the ability to shoot an arrow to a given target in a certain time span with accuracy. The discipline is described as a three-phase (the stance, the drawing and the sighting) movement. Shooting can be divided these phases into six: bow hold, drawing, full draw, aiming, release and follow-through. Each of these phases represented a stable sequence of movements and was ideal for studying the motor control and skill acquired during this voluntary kinematic process.

An archer pushes the bow with an extended arm, which is statically held in the direction of the target, while the other arm exerts a dynamic pulling of the bowstring from the beginning of the drawing phase, until the release is dynamically executed. The release phase must be well balanced and highly reproducible to achieve commendable results in a competition.

The bowstring is released when an audible impulse is received from a device called "clicker" that is used as a draw length check. Each arrow can be drawn to an exact distance and a standard release can be obtained using the device. The clicker is reputed to improve the archer's score and used by all target archers. The archer should react to the clicker as quickly as possible. In particular, a repeated contraction and relaxation strategy in the forearm and pull finger muscles should be developed for this reason.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stabilization and stabilization-related parameters on shooting performance at the cervical, lumbal and scapular levels in archery athletes. A total of 40 archery athletes aged between 10 and 18, who have been professionally engaged in archery for at least 1 year were included in the study. Demographic information and musculoskeletal system evaluations of the athletes were done. Performance of the athletes via Upper Extremity Closed Kinetic Chain Stability Test, Hand Grip Strength test; presence of scapular dyskinesia was evaluated via the Lateral Scapular Slide Test. Cervical region stabilization was evaluated via Craniocervical Flexion Test, scapular level stabilization was evaluated via Scapular Muscle Endurance Test, lumbar region stabilization was evaluated via Abdominal Drawing-in Test and Sahrmann's Core Stability Test. As the parameters related to stabilization, postures via Corbin Postural Rating Scale; balances via Stork Balance Test, Upper Extremity Y Balance Test; pain was evaluated via the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. Shooting performances were evaluated with 72 target shootings and a total of 720 points. .

Inclusion criteria

• healty athletes who have been professionally engaged in archery for at least 1 year
• using same type of equipment(compound or recurve)
• being volunteer

Exclusion criteria

• who have orthopedic or neurological problems in last one year
• having structural or functional scoliosis
• no surgical operations
• BMI>30 kg/m2