Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effect of combined sit-to-stand and heel-raise (STS-HR) exercises on dynamic balance function in sedentary male adolescents.
Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a pretest–posttest design was conducted involving 30 sedentary male adolescents, randomly allocated into a control group (n = 15) and an intervention group (n = 15). The intervention group performed STS-HR exercises three times per week for 8 weeks. Dynamic balance was assessed using the Y-Balance Test (YBT), with composite reach length (CRL) of both limbs as the primary outcome.
Results: No significant changes were observed in the control group across all YBT directions (p > 0.05). In contrast, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial reach directions, as well as CRL values for both limbs (p < 0.001). After adjustment for baseline bilateral composite score and caloric intake, the bilateral mean composite Y-Balance Test score at week 8 was 12.4 percentage points higher in the STS-HR group than in the control group (95% CI 8.6–16.1; p < 0.001; partial η² = 0.642).
Conclusion: Among sedentary male adolescents, the 8-week STS-HR program improved week-8 Y-Balance Test performance compared with the control condition. The clinical importance and longer-term functional implications of this improvement remain uncertain.