Relationships Between Four-Directional Postural Deviations, Lower Extremity Muscle Strength, and Anthropometric Characteristics in Soccer Players

In sports such as soccer, which require sudden directional changes and single-leg stability, postural balance is one of the key determinants of performance. However, in the literature, balance has predominantly been evaluated through overall composite scores, while the relationships between postural deviations in the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral directions and the ability to maintain central stability have largely been overlooked. Moreover, studies examining these parameters in a multidimensional framework alongside muscle strength and anthropometric characteristics, such as height and body weight, remain limited. This study investigated the associations between four-directional postural deviations and central stability, measured via the single-leg dynamic limits of stability test, and further evaluated their relationships with lower extremity muscle strength, height, and body weight. A total of 95 male soccer players participated in this cross-sectional study. The findings demonstrated significant positive correlations between height and body weight (ρ = 0.68) and between height and lower extremity muscle strength (ρ = 0.51). Height was negatively associated with lateral deviation (ρ = − 0.30) and positively associated with medial deviation (ρ = 0.30). Strong inverse correlations were observed between directional balance parameters (lateral–medial: ρ = − 1.00; anterior–posterior: ρ = − 1.00). Central stability performance was negatively associated with height (ρ = − 0.50), positively with lateral deviation (ρ = 0.44), and negatively with medial deviation (ρ = − 0.44). In conclusion, the results indicate that postural control in soccer players is organized directionally, and central stability should be evaluated in conjunction with individual anthropometric characteristics and lower extremity muscle strength. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring balance training programs to athletes’ physical profiles and directional balance characteristics, both to enhance performance and to reduce injury risk.