V.P.LAKSHMIKANTH1 , JIBI PAUL2 , BERNARD EBENEZER2 , RAMANATHAN2

Authors:

2 Faculty of Physiotherapy, Dr. MGR. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.

Corresponding Author:

1 Faculty of Physiotherapy, Dr. MGR. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Mail id: laksh.anee@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Recreational collegiate and professional level tennis players are at risk of musculo skeletal injuries. Plyometric training enhances balance and body control during movement, which promotes improvement in agility. Aim of this study is to find out the effectiveness of plyometric training on improving agility in tennis player.

Methodology: This study conducted at Madha medical college and hospital, Chennai.Total 30 subjects were selected from population of tennis players by convenience sampling procedure. The samples were divided into two groups with plyometric training cum conventional training and conventional training program alone. The subjects include both genders with age group of 18 to 22 years based on the selection criteria. The training program consists 6 weeks of plyometric training and conventional training. Illinois agility test score and Tennis specific agility test score were used to evaluate the outcome measures.

Result: Dependent t test was used to analyze the difference in effect within the group. Pre and post test scores for plyometric training with conventional training and conventional training alone found significance difference in improvement  in agility  with  p< 0.0001.The mean difference value of plyometric training with conventional training program is 2.5, which is more than the mean difference value of conventional training program 1.58.

Conclusion: The study concluded that plyometric training and conventional training are effective to improve agility, yet plyometric training is more effective to improve agility among tennis players.

Keywords: Tennis players, plyometric training, agilty, Illinois agility test and Tennis specific agility test.