Mendeley  

Zotero  

Omidi H, Sabzevari Rad R, Ghorbani M. Changes in Lower Limb Strength and Neuromuscular Control during One Year of Military Training in Officer Cadets. J Sport Biomech 2026; 12 (2) :286-300
URL: http://biomechanics.iauh.ac.ir/article-1-452-en.html

Objective This study aimed to examine the effects of one year of intensive military training on strength indices and neuromuscular variables, including dynamic balance and lower-limb proprioception, in officer cadets. In addition, the effectiveness of the military training program as a stand-alone intervention—without supplementary training modalities—was evaluated in eliciting favorable neuromuscular adaptations.
Methods This longitudinal, prospective observational study was conducted on 30 officer cadets from Imam Ali University (mean age: 19.71 ± 2.03 years; mean height: 182.66 ± 6.21 cm; mean body mass: 71.83 ± 7.71 kg). Lower-limb muscle strength, dynamic balance, and knee joint proprioception were assessed at baseline and after one year of military training. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS version 26.
Results After one year of military training, significant improvements were observed in dynamic balance in the anterior (p = 0.009, η² = 0.18) and posterolateral (p = 0.042, η² = 0.20) directions. Knee joint angular reproduction error at 45° in the dominant limb decreased significantly (p = 0.024). Muscle strength in the dominant limb increased significantly for hip flexion (p = 0.007), hip extension (p = 0.041), hip internal rotation (p = 0.009), knee extension (p = 0.016), and ankle dorsiflexion (p = 0.037). Moreover, significant differences between the dominant and non-dominant limbs were observed for posteromedial balance (p = 0.028), posterolateral balance (p = 0.006), and the composite balance score (p < 0.001). A significant interaction effect was also identified in the posterolateral balance direction (p = 0.048, η² = 0.20).
Conclusion The findings demonstrate that one year of military training has a positive and significant effect on key neuromuscular performance indicators, including dynamic balance, proprioceptive accuracy, and lower-limb muscle strength in officer cadets. The observed improvements—particularly in the dominant limb—underscore the role of intensive and varied military training in promoting robust neuromuscular adaptations. These results may inform the design of optimized training programs for military and athletic populations.