Exercise, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
Conditions
Keywords
air pistol, T10 exercise, performance
Brief summary
Air pistol shooting requires a high level of postural stability, upper extremity neuromuscular control, and concentration to achieve optimal performance. Prolonged maintenance of the shooting position may lead to shoulder muscle fatigue, reduced joint stability, and impaired shooting accuracy. Although sport-specific exercise programs have been recommended to improve physical performance in shooters, the effectiveness of the T10 exercise program has not yet been investigated in this population. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of a 12-week T10 exercise program, in addition to routine training, on shooting performance in competitive air pistol athletes. Secondary outcomes include upper and lower extremity functional performance, balance, muscular endurance, upper extremity stability, grip strength, medicine ball throw performance, and visual and auditory reaction time. Participants will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group receiving the T10 exercise program plus routine training or a control group continuing routine training alone. Assessments will be performed at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. The findings of this study may provide evidence for the effectiveness of a sport-specific neuromuscular exercise program in enhancing shooting performance and physical function in competitive air pistol athletes.
Detailed description
Air pistol shooting is a precision sport that requires a high level of postural stability, upper extremity neuromuscular control, and sustained concentration to achieve accurate shooting performance. During competition, athletes maintain the shoulder in an elevated position for prolonged periods, which may result in muscle fatigue, impaired scapular stability, altered shoulder mechanics, and reduced shooting accuracy. In addition, deficiencies in balance, upper extremity stability, muscular endurance, and reaction time may negatively influence shooting performance. Previous studies have suggested that physical conditioning and sport-specific exercise programs may improve athletic performance in shooting sports. The T10 exercise program is a comprehensive upper extremity training protocol consisting of ten exercises designed to improve neuromuscular control, dynamic stabilization, co-contraction, muscle strength, endurance, coordination, and movement quality. Despite its potential benefits, the effectiveness of the T10 exercise program has not been investigated in competitive air pistol athletes. The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the effects of a 12-week T10 exercise program on shooting performance in competitive air pistol athletes. Secondary objectives are to evaluate the effects of the intervention on upper extremity functional performance, upper extremity stability, dynamic balance, static balance, muscular endurance, grip strength, medicine ball throw performance, agility, lower extremity explosive performance, and visual and auditory reaction time. A minimum of 24 competitive air pistol athletes aged 18 to 40 years will be recruited and randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a control group using simple randomization. Participants in the intervention group will perform the T10 exercise program three times per week for 12 weeks in addition to their routine shooting training, whereas participants in the control group will continue their routine training without additional exercises. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. The primary outcome will be shooting performance. Secondary outcomes will include Upper Quarter Y Balance Test, Y Balance Test, Flamingo Balance Test, grip strength, medicine ball throw test, Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test, push-up and sit-up performance, T-test, standing long jump, and visual and auditory reaction time. The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a sport-specific neuromuscular exercise program for improving shooting performance and physical function in competitive air pistol athletes and may contribute to the development of evidence-based training strategies for precision shooting sports.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExercise
Participants in the control group will continue their regular shooting training throughout the 12-week study period without receiving the T10 exercise program or any additional physiotherapist-supervised exercise intervention. Routine training will be conducted according to the athletes' usual training schedule under the supervision of their shooting coaches and will include technical shooting practice, aiming exercises, competition-specific drills, and standard warm-up activities. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual training habits and refrain from initiating any additional upper extremity strengthening or neuromuscular exercise programs during the study period.
Sponsors
Hacettepe University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Masking description
Due to the nature of the intervention, participants and the physiotherapists supervising the exercise program cannot be blinded to group allocation. However, outcome assessments will be performed by an assessor blinded to group assignment, and statistical analyses will be conducted using coded data to minimize detection and analysis bias.
Intervention model description
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups. The intervention group will receive a supervised T10 exercise program three times per week for 12 weeks in addition to routine shooting training, while the control group will continue routine shooting training without additional exercise. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the 12-week intervention.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age between 18 and 40 years. * Competitive air pistol athletes with at least 2 years of regular shooting experience. * Participating in shooting training for at least 6 hours per week. * Being in the preseason training period. * Willing to participate and able to provide written informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Current upper extremity musculoskeletal injury or pain. * History of upper extremity orthopedic surgery. * Neurological or cognitive disorders affecting participation. * Visual or hearing impairments that may interfere with testing or shooting performance. * Inflammatory joint disease involving the lower extremities. * History of lower extremity orthopedic surgery or musculoskeletal deformity affecting performance. * Rheumatologic, metabolic, or cardiovascular disease. * Body mass index (BMI) \>30 kg/m². * Current use of psychiatric medication. * Failure to attend two consecutive intervention sessions during the study period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting Performance Score | Baseline and 12 weeks | Shooting performance will be assessed according to the official International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) rules using the athletes' total shooting score obtained during a standardized air pistol shooting test. Higher scores indicate better shooting performance. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Upper Quarter Y Balance Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Upper extremity dynamic balance and stability will be assessed using the Upper Quarter Y Balance Test. Reach distances in the medial, superolateral, and inferolateral directions will be recorded and normalized to upper limb length. |
| 2. Y Balance Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Dynamic balance of the lower extremity will be evaluated using the Y Balance Test. Reach distances in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions will be recorded and normalized to leg length. |
| 3. Flamingo Balance Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Static balance performance will be assessed by recording the duration participants maintain balance on a narrow beam. |
| 4. Grip Strength | Baseline and 12 weeks | Maximal isometric handgrip strength will be measured using a Jamar hand dynamometer. The mean of three trials will be recorded in kilograms (kg). |
| 5. Medicine Ball Throw Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Upper extremity explosive performance will be evaluated using a 3-kg medicine ball throw. Throwing distance will be recorded in centimeters (cm). |
| 6. Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) | Baseline and 12 weeks | Upper extremity stability and functional performance will be assessed using the number of touches completed within 15 seconds. |
| 7. Push-up Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Upper extremity muscular endurance will be assessed by recording the maximum number of push-ups completed within one minute. |
| 8. Sit-up Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Core muscular endurance will be assessed by recording the maximum number of sit-ups completed within one minute. |
| 9. T-Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Agility performance will be assessed using the T-Test, with completion time recorded in seconds. Lower values indicate better agility performance. |
| 10. Standing Long Jump Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Lower extremity explosive power will be evaluated by measuring jump distance in centimeters (cm). |
| 11. Visual Reaction Time | Baseline and 12 weeks | Visual reaction time will be measured using the Newtest 1000 reaction timer. The average response time will be recorded in milliseconds (ms). |
| 12. Auditory Reaction TimeAuditory | Baseline and 12 weeks | reaction time will be measured using the Newtest 1000 reaction timer. The average response time will be recorded in milliseconds (ms). |
| 13. Ruler Drop Test | Baseline and 12 weeks | Reaction time will also be assessed using the ruler drop test. The catching distance will be recorded in centimeters (cm). |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
CONTACTNazli Cigercioglu, Assoc. Prof.
Outcome results
None listed