Effects of Upper Extremity Flywheel Exercises on Skills, Muscle Oxygenation, and Fatigue in Adolescent Basketball (Flywheel)

January 11, 2026 updated by: Hüseyin Melih Göktuğ Akpulat, Istinye University

The Effects of Upper Extremity Flywheel Exercises on Athletic Skills, Muscle Oxygenation and Physical Fatigue in Adolescent Basketball Players

This study will investigate the effects of flywheel exercises targeting the upper extremities on athletic performance, muscle oxygenation, physical fatigue, and muscle strength in adolescent basketball players. A total of 36 healthy male adolescent basketball players aged 10-18 years will be included in the study and divided into two groups using stratified randomization: a flywheel exercise group (n=18) and a traditional strength training group (n=18).

Athletic skills will be assessed using the Johnson Basketball Skill Tests (passing test, dribbling test, shooting test), the Basketball Shooting Accuracy Test, and the Functional Shooting Performance Index (FAPI). Upper extremity muscle oxygenation will be measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a Moxy muscle oxygen meter. Physical fatigue level will be determined using the Modified Borg Scale. Upper extremity muscle strength will be assessed using a Kinvent hand dynamometer and the Seated Single Arm Ball Throw Test. The flywheel group will undergo eccentric weight flywheel exercises three times a week for eight weeks. The traditional strength training group will follow a strength training program using dumbbells for the same duration and frequency. All assessments will be conducted before and after the training program.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Adolescence is a critical period in which athletic performance and musculoskeletal adaptations develop rapidly. In sports that actively utilize the upper extremities, such as basketball, strength, coordination, and fatigue tolerance directly affect performance. In recent years, flywheel exercise systems, which allow for eccentric loading, have emerged as an effective training method for improving muscle strength and neuromuscular adaptations. However, scientific evidence regarding the effects of these systems on adolescent athletes is limited. This study was planned to investigate the effects of flywheel exercises targeting the upper extremities on athletic performance, muscle oxygenation, and physical fatigue in adolescent basketball players. The study will be conducted using a randomized controlled design, with participants divided into two groups: a flywheel exercise group and a traditional strength training group. Both groups will receive a structured upper extremity strength training program of equal duration and frequency. Throughout the study, all participants will continue their routine basketball training; only the strength training method applied will differ between the groups. Assessments will be conducted before and after the training program, and intra-group and between-group changes will be analyzed. The findings are expected to provide important information about the applicability of flywheel exercises in adolescent athletes and their potential effects on performance.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

36

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Iğdır, Turkey (Türkiye), 76000
        • Recruiting
        • Iğdır Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate - Kazım Karabekir Sports Hall
        • Contact:
          • Iğdır Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate
          • Phone Number: 04762277991
          • Email: igdir@gsb.gov.tr

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Volunteer male basketball players aged 10-18 who have played basketball for at least one year,
  • Who have regularly attended training sessions for the past 6 months,
  • Who do not have an injury that would restrict their participation in training will be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Those who have undergone upper extremity surgery within the last year
  • Those with neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases (e.g., epilepsy, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, etc.)
  • Those who have sustained any upper extremity musculoskeletal injury within the last year

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Flywheel Training Group
Participants in this group will perform upper extremity eccentric-focused resistance training using a flywheel device. The training program will be conducted for 8 weeks, three sessions per week, in addition to regular basketball training.
Other: Flywheel Exercises
Participants perform 8 weeks of upper extremity eccentric resistance exercises using the flywheel device, 3 sessions per week, with progressive load increase over time.
Active Comparator: Traditional Resistance Training Group
Participants in this group will perform upper extremity resistance training using dumbbells. The training program will be conducted for 8 weeks, three sessions per week, with the same training frequency and duration as the flywheel group, in addition to regular basketball training.
Other: Traditional Resistance Training
Participants perform 8 weeks of upper extremity resistance exercises using dumbbells, 3 sessions per week, with individualized progressive load based on 1 repetition maximum (1RM).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Basketball-Specific Skill Performance
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Basketball-specific skills will be assessed using the Johnson Basketball Skill Tests (passing, dribbling, and shooting tests), the Basketball Shooting Accuracy Test, and the Functional Throwing Performance Index (FTPI). Higher scores indicate better basketball-specific skill performance."
Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Muscle Oxygenation
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Upper extremity muscle oxygenation will be assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a Moxy muscle oxygen monitor placed over the biceps brachii muscle during basketball-specific performance tasks. Higher oxygen saturation percentages indicate better muscle oxygenation.
Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Physical Fatigue
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Perceived physical fatigue will be assessed using the Modified Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale, which ranges from 0 (no fatigue) to 10 (maximal fatigue). Higher scores indicate greater perceived physical fatigue.
Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Upper Extremity Isometric Muscle Strength
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Upper extremity isometric muscle strength will be assessed using a Kinvent handheld dynamometer. Measurements will include shoulder and elbow muscles. Strength will be recorded in kilograms or Newtons. Higher values indicate greater isometric strength.
Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Upper Extremity Explosive Strength
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training
Upper extremity explosive strength will be evaluated using the Seated Single-Arm Medicine Ball Throw Test. Participants throw a medicine ball as far as possible from a seated position. Distance of the throw will be recorded in centimeters. Higher values indicate greater explosive strength.
Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Istinye University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Huseyin Melih Goktug Akpulat, Istinye University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 21, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 14, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 29, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

January 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 11, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IstinyeU-EC-25-117

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to the small sample size, the involvement of adolescent participants, and data protection and confidentiality considerations. Data will be used only for the purposes defined in the study protocol.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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