Effect of Acute Functional Fatigue on Plantar Pressure Distribution and Foot Center of Pressure in Young Professional Volleyball Players

This study aimed to investigate the effect of acute functional fatigue on plantar pressure distribution and center of pressure (CoP)  in young professional male volleyball players. 38 young volleyball players voluntarily participated in this study and were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. A plantar pressure scanner measured plantar pressure distribution and CoP during standing and walking. The dependent samples t-test was used to investigate inter-group differences, and the covariance test was used to compare between groups. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) at a significance level of p≥0.05. The results showed that fatigue had a significant effect on the percentage of plantar pressure distribution in the fore-foot of both feet and the left rear-foot in both control and training groups (p<0.05). Also, the CoP path length and the ellipse area of the CoP after fatigue showed a significant change in the experimental group (p<0.05). The results showed that fatigue increases the contact surface and impulse of the forefoot and the CoP movements. These factors can increase the probability of injury in participants.