Balance, Agility, and Strength in Amateur Badminton Players - Novel Badminton Specific Square-Stepping Exercise

NCT07527533 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: INTI-IU/FHLS-RC/BPHTI/7NY12022
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study was to determine whether a novel badminton-specific square-stepping exercise (bs-SSE) programme could improve dynamic balance, agility, and ankle strength in amateur badminton players. It also examined whether the programme produced greater improvements than usual activity alone. The main questions it aimed to answer were: Does an 8-week bs-SSE programme improve dynamic balance in amateur badminton players? Does the programme improve agility and ankle dorsiflexor and plantar flexor strength? Are these improvements greater than those seen in players who continue their usual activity? Researchers compared an experimental group that completed the bs-SSE programme with a control group that maintained their usual activity. Outcomes were measured at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using the Y-Balance Test for dynamic balance, the Agility T-test for agility, and a handheld dynamometer for ankle strength. Participants in the bs-SSE group showed significant improvements over time in dynamic balance, ankle strength, and agility, while the control group showed minimal non-significant changes. By week 8, both within-group and between-group comparisons favored the experimental group in several balance reach directions, bilateral dorsiflexion and plantarflexion strength, and agility. Post hoc analysis further showed that the intervention effects were most evident between baseline and week 8, with fewer significant differences at week 4. The findings suggest that the bs-SSE programme is a promising sport-specific training approach for amateur badminton players, with potential benefits for performance enhancement and reduction of sports-related musculoskeletal injury risk.

Conditions

Physical Performance

Keywords

badminton; square-stepping exercise; dynamic balance; agility; ankle strength; sport-specific training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Dynamic Balance

  Title: Anterior Reach Distance on the Y-Balance Test Description: Maximum reach distance in the anterior direction measured using the Y-Balance Test for the right and left lower limbs, recorded in centimetres (cm). Higher values indicate better dynamic balance. Title: Posteromedial Reach Distance on the Y-Balance Test Description: Maximum reach distance in the posteromedial direction measured using the Y-Balance Test for the right and left lower limbs, recorded in centimetres (cm). Higher values indicate better dynamic balance. Title: Posterolateral Reach Distance on the Y-Balance Test Description: Maximum reach distance in the posterolateral direction measured using the Y-Balance Test for the right and left lower limbs, recorded in centimetres (cm). Higher values indicate better dynamic balance.

  8 weeks

• Agility

  Title: Agility T-test Completion Time Description: Time taken to complete the Agility T-test, recorded in seconds (s). Lower values indicate better agility performance.

  8 Weeks

• Ankle Strength

  Title: Right Ankle Dorsiflexor Muscle Strength Description: Isometric muscle strength of the right ankle dorsiflexors measured using a hand-held dynamometer, recorded in Newtons (N). Higher values indicate greater muscle strength. Title: Left Ankle Dorsiflexor Muscle Strength Description: Isometric muscle strength of the left ankle dorsiflexors measured using a hand-held dynamometer, recorded in Newtons (N). Higher values indicate greater muscle strength.

  8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

Experimental group participants were involved in an 8-week badminton-specific Square-Stepping Exercise (bs-SSE) intervention conducted on a 2.5 m × 1.0 m mat divided into 40 equal squares. The exercise intervention involved in a progressive forward, backward, lateral, and diagonal stepping patterns to simulate badminton footwork demands.

Other: Badminton Specific Square-Stepping Exercise (bs-SSE) Intervention

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

The control group continued their usual daily and physical activity routines without additional structured exercise.

Interventions

Badminton Specific Square-Stepping Exercise (bs-SSE) Intervention OTHER

An 8-week structured, progressive, mat-based exercise intervention performed on a 2.5 m × 1.0 m mat divided into 40 squares. The intervention included a forward, backward, lateral, diagonal stepping patterns to simulate on-court footwork demands. Sessions were conducted 3 times weekly and included warm-up at light intensity (57% to \<64% HRmax), a 30-minute main training phase at moderate intensity (64% to \<76% HRmax), and cool-down at very light intensity (\<57% HRmax). This intervention was differ from conventional general agility drills, balance training and routine badminton practice by integrating badminton-specific movement demands into a standardized and progressive training format.

Also known as: Square-Stepping Exercise Intervention

Experimental group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 18 to 40 years
• At least 5 years of singles or doubles badminton experience,
• Playing badminton for 2 to 4 hours per week,
• Understand instructions in English, and
• Cleared through the Exercise Preparticipation Health Screening Questionnaire for Exercise Professionals.

You may not qualify if:

• Upper or lower limb injuries within the past 6 months
• Musculoskeletal, Neurological, Visual, Vestibular, Cardiorespiratory, \& Cognitive disorders,
• Regular involvement in any other sports other than badminton,
• Current use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, \& neuroleptic medication,
• Pregnant
• Had a positive response on Step 2 and any item in Step 3 of the Exercise Preparticipation Health Screening Questionnaire for Exercise Professionals.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• INTI International University: lead
• Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

INTI International University

Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, 71800, Malaysia

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Methods

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Investigative Techniques

Study Officials

• ALI MD NADZALAN, PhD

  Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Lecturer cum Head of Program

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2026
• First Posted: April 14, 2026
• Study Start: January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2025
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: April 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: The individual participant data (IPD) and supporting documents will be available immediately following publication of the study and will remain available for a period of 5 years after publication.
• Access Criteria: Individual participant data (IPD) will be shared with qualified researchers, academic institutions, or healthcare professionals who provide a methodologically sound research proposal. Access will be granted for purposes such as secondary analyses, verification of results, or inclusion related to sports science and exercise interventions. Data access requests should be directed to the corresponding author and must include a brief proposal describing the research objectives, methodology, and intended use of the data. Requests will be reviewed by the principal investigator and research team to ensure consistency with the original study objectives, ethical approval, and participant consent. Approved data will be shared via secure electronic transfer, subject to a data use agreement prohibiting redistribution or re-identification of participants.

Locations

MY (1)