Impact of Hip Strength Training on Jump and Throw Performance in Young Female Handball Players

Effects of Hip Strength Exercise Training on Jump Distance, Hip Muscle Strength and Throwing Performance in 15-19-Year-Old Female Handball Players

This study aims to investigate the effects of an 8-week Hip Strength Exercise Training program, implemented in addition to the athletes' regular training routines, on hip muscle strength, jump distance, and three-step jump shot performance in female handball players aged 15 to 19. Furthermore, the study seeks to explore the potential relationships between throwing performance and various physical parameters, including anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, and body fat percentage.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Strength Training Effects
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise

Detailed Description

Handball is a complex and multifactorial team sport determined not only by each player's individual performance but also by the tactical components and interactions within the team. Therefore, defining the game and identifying the key factors influencing performance remain challenging. Handball players must effectively coordinate basic motor skills such as running, jumping, pushing, and changing direction, along with handball-specific skills like passing, catching, controlling, and blocking, to execute shots or create optimal scoring opportunities for teammates.

Since the winning team in handball is the one that scores the most goals, goal shooting is one of the most critical aspects of the game. A successful goal shot requires the ball to reach maximum velocity and be accurate enough to deceive the goalkeeper. The faster and more accurately the ball is thrown, the less time defenders and the goalkeeper have to react and intervene.

In addition to throwing speed and accuracy, jump distance is also a significant factor influencing performance in handball matches. The most frequently used shot type in handball competitions is the jump shot. The energy produced during a jump shot originates from the force exerted against the ground. The higher the player jumps, the longer the flight time, increasing the likelihood of avoiding defensive blocks.

Handball demands high levels of explosive strength, maximal strength, and muscular power in both the upper and lower extremities. While training programs are generally multidimensional, it is important to identify which muscle groups contribute most significantly to performance in order to optimize training approaches. This is because many handball-specific skills such as throwing, blocking, pushing, and holding require considerable strength and power output.

The hip plays a critical role in handball shooting by initiating upper body movement and transferring momentum from the lower to the upper extremities. It provides a stable base for the upper body during the shot, thereby playing a significant role in shot performance. Well-designed hip strengthening programs have been shown to yield not only improvements in strength but also positive effects on secondary outcomes such as linear sprinting, agility, change of direction, and sport-specific performance metrics.

The existing literature highlights a lack of sufficient research examining the relationship between physical capacity and throwing performance. There is a particular need for studies investigating the effects of muscle strength, jump distance, and overall physical fitness on throwing performance. Moreover, it has been noted that studies focusing on female handball players are relatively limited compared to those involving males, underscoring the need for further research in this area.

In this study, the researchers aim to investigate the effects of an 8-week Hip Strength Exercise Training program, implemented in addition to routine training, on hip muscle strength, jump distance, and three-step jump shot performance in female handball players aged 15 to 19. Additionally, the researchers aim to examine the relationships between throwing performance and anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, and body fat percentage.

It is hypothesized that the Hip Strength Exercise Training program will positively contribute to throwing performance by improving hip muscle strength, throwing speed, throwing accuracy, and jump distance. Accordingly, it is suggested that low-cost, easily applicable hip strengthening exercises utilizing resistance bands can be integrated into training routines and contribute to the development of injury prevention strategies.

Based on the above, the hypotheses are as follows:

Hypothesis 1: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on hip muscle strength.

Hypothesis 2: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on throwing accuracy.

Hypothesis 3: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on throwing speed.

Hypothesis 4: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on jump distance.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Fatih
    • Istanbul, Fatih, Turkey (Türkiye), 34104
      • Department of Sports Medicine Istanbul Unıversıty

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Signing the Informed Voluntary Consent Form by agreeing to voluntarily participate in the study
• Being a handball player aged between 15-19 years
• Being female
• Having reached menarche
• Having the ability to understand and speak

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having sustained an extremity injury in the last 6 months
• Having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m² (obesity)
• Having a cardiovascular, neurological, or pulmonary disease
• Experiencing hip pain related to loading and fatigue, or hip pain due to muscle and spasms
• Presence of bursitis, synovitis, arthritis, or osteomyelitis in the hip

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Hip Strength Exercise Training Group; This group received a hip strength exercise training program in addition to their regular handball training for 8 weeks, three sessions per week. The intervention aimed to improve hip muscle strength, jump distance, and throwing performance.	Other: Exercise; Participants in the Hip Strength Exercise Training group performed structured hip strengthening exercises using resistance bands in addition to their regular handball and strength training programs. The training was implemented three times per week for 8 weeks, with one rest day between sessions, and was conducted before regular handball practices. The exercises focused on activating and strengthening the hip muscles through simple, well-structured movements. Resistance bands were chosen due to their portability, cost-effectiveness, and suitability for adolescent athletes. This method ensured a safe training environment, reduced the risk of overload, and allowed for proper execution and control of the exercises.
No Intervention: Control Group; This group continued their regular handball training without any additional intervention during the 8-week study period. They served as the control group to compare the effects of the hip strength exercise training.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Throwing Velocity	Throwing velocity was measured using the Doppler radar gun (Bushnell Speedster III). Participants performed jump shots from behind the 9-meter line using the three-step technique. The average ball speed (km/h) from five valid throws to each corner of the goal was recorded. The radar gun was placed 4 meters behind the free throw line and aligned with the release height and target corner to ensure measurement accuracy.	Baseline, Week 8
Throwing Accuracy	Throwing accuracy was evaluated by targeting 50 cm circular zones placed in the four corners of a standard goal. Five throws per corner were completed (a total of 20 throws). The reported values in the data table represent the mean number of successful throws per target zone, calculated by dividing the total successful throws by the number of zones. The possible score for this reported mean ranges from 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate better throwing accuracy per corner.	Baseline, Week 8
Isokinetic Hip Strength Parameters	Hip concentric strength evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex Humac Norm) at a speed of 180°/s. The test involves 4 maximum concentric contractions following 5 practice trials. The reported values represent the peak torque normalized to body weight (%BW). Multiple sub-measurements for different muscle groups and time points (Baseline and Week 8) are presented as separate rows within the single data table for comprehensive evaluation.	Baseline and Week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Anthropometric Measurements	Circumference and length measurements (shoulder, upper arm, forearm, wrist, arm span, etc.) will be performed according to International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocols using flexible fabric measuring tapes. Dominant side was used for all anthropometric measurements.	Baseline (15-18 February 2025)
Body Fat Percentage	Body fat percentage will be assessed using the bioelectrical impedance analysis device (Tanita TBF-300 M).	Baseline (15 -18 February 2025)
Hand Grip Strength	Hand grip strength will be measured using a hydraulic hand dynamometer (Jamar). The participant will perform the test with the dominant hand.	Baseline (15 -18 February 2025)
Countermovement Jump Distance	Vertical jump performance will be evaluated through the modified counter movement jump test, measured using a digital jump meter (Takei), to assess explosive lower-body power.	Baseline (15-18 February 2025) and after 8-week intervention (15-18 April 2025)
Single Leg Vertical Jump (SLVJ) Distance	Vertical jump distance on the dominant leg will be measured using a digital jump meter (Takei) to assess unilateral leg power.	Baseline (15-18 February 2025) and after 8-week intervention (15-18 April 2025)
Single Leg Horizontal Jump (SLHJ) Distance	Horizontal jump distance on the dominant leg will be evaluated using a flat measurement tape fixed to the ground to assess functional leg strength and coordination.	Baseline (15-18 February 2025) and after 8-week intervention (15-18 April 2025)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Zümre H Taşçı, MSc student, Istanbul University; Principal Investigator: Sertaç Yakal, Dr., Istanbul University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 18, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): April 18, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 19, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 19, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 27, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 24, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Jumping performance; Handball players; Strength training effects; Throwing performance
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: IstanbulU-SportsMed-ZHT-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No