Foot Core System in Athletes: Training of Intrinsic Foot Muscles and Its Effects on Athletic Performance

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 202 - 214, 30.06.2025

Kadri Er , Ertuğrul Gelen

https://doi.org/10.18826/useeabd.1696185

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this narrative review is to assess the function of the intrinsic foot muscles in optimizing sporting performance, improving the mechanics of movement, and preventing injury to the lower limb. The review aggregates biomechanical, anatomical, and sport science literature justifying the incorporation of intrinsic foot muscles training into sporting conditioning.
Methods: In this study, scientific articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, experimental researches and case studies published between 2010 and 2025 were examined to evaluate the effects of foot core training on athletic performance, postural control and injury prevention. The literature search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, Google Scholar and Academic Search Ultimate databases. The keywords "foot core training", "intrinsic foot muscles", "short foot exercise", "plantar arch stability", "foot muscle activation", "postural control", "balance and foot biomechanics", "neuromuscular foot function" and "injury prevention in athletes"were used during the search. Keywords were combined with Boolean operators and only English studies with full-text access were included. Literature selection was made by title, abstract and full-text scanning; analysis was performed considering the measurement methods used in the studies, sample group, intervention period and outcome variables.
Results: Evidence substantiates that intrinsic foot muscles training augments medial arch support, enhances balance and posture control, assists in optimal gait and propulsion mechanics, and minimizes risk of injury in sport populations. Isometric and dynamic protocols, when implemented as part of sport-specific conditioning, produced quantifiable gains in strength, proprioception, and functional movement quality. Although promising, heterogeneity of methods and absence of long-term data underscore the necessity for controlled, longitudinal studies.

Keywords

Athletic Performance, Foot Core Training, Injury Prevention, Intrinsic Foot Muscles

Sporcularda Foot Core Sistemi: İntrinsik Ayak Kaslarının Antrenmanı ve Atletik Performansa Etkileri

Abstract

Amaç: Bu derleme çalışmasının amacı, ayak intrinsik kaslarının sporcularda performansın artırılması ve alt ekstremite yaralanmalarının önlenmesindeki etkinliğini değerlendirmektir. Biyomekanik, anatomik ve antrenman bilimlerine dayandırılmış güncel kanıtlar ışığında ayak intrinsik kas antrenmanlarının sporcu antrenman programlarına entegrasyonu incelenmiştir.
Yöntem: Bu çalışmada, 2010–2025 yılları arasında yayımlanmış bilimsel makaleler, sistematik derlemeler, meta-analizler, deneysel araştırmalar ve vaka çalışmaları incelenerek foot core antrenmanlarının atletik performans, postüral kontrol ve yaralanma önleme üzerindeki etkileri değerlendirilmiştir. Literatür taraması; Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, Google Scholar ve Academic Search Ultimate veri tabanlarında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Tarama sırasında "foot core training", "intrinsic foot muscles", "short foot exercise", "plantar arch stability", "foot muscle activation", "postural control", "balance and foot biomechanics", "neuromuscular foot function" ve "injury prevention in athletes” anahtar kelimeleri kullanılmıştır. Anahtar kelimeler, Boolean operatörleri ile birleştirilmiş ve yalnızca tam metin erişimi olan İngilizce çalışmalar dahil edilmiştir. Literatür seçimi, başlık, özet ve tam metin taraması ile yapılmış; çalışmalarda kullanılan ölçüm yöntemleri, örneklem grubu, müdahale süresi ve sonuç değişkenleri dikkate alınarak analiz gerçekleştirilmiştir.
Sonuç: Ayak intrinsik kas antrenmanının, medial ark desteğini artırdığı, denge ve postüral kontrolü iyileştirdiği, verimli yürüyüş ve itiş mekanikleri sağladığı ve atletik popülasyonda yaralanma riskini azalttığı tespit edilmiştir. Spor özgü programlara entegre edilen izometrik ve dinamik egzersizler, kuvvet ve propriyosepsiyon gelişimiyle birlikte fonksiyonel hareket kalitesini artırmıştır. Ancak metodolojik çeşitlilik ve uzun dönem takip eksikliği, standartlaştırılmış protokollerin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Atletik Performans, Ayak İntrinsik Kasları, Foot Core Antrenmanı, Yaralanma Önleme

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