Purpose:

Knee pain is a common problem among taekwondo athletes and can affect their balance and motor function. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of combined neuromuscular control and progressive resistance training on pain, balance, and lower-limb motor function in female taekwondo athletes with knee pain.



Materials and Methods:

This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. Thirty-six female taekwondo athletes with knee pain, aged 10 to 23 years, were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group performed combined neuromuscular control and progressive resistance training for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, while the control group continued their usual taekwondo training. Pain, dynamic and static balance, and motor function were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale for pain, Y-Balance Test, Single-Leg Stance Test, and single-leg hop and stair descent tests.



Results:

After 8 weeks, pain significantly decreased in the experimental group, and the changes were significant between the two groups. Dynamic and static balance also showed significant improvement in the experimental group, and the changes were significant compared with the control group. Changes in motor function in the stair descent and single-leg hop tests were also significant between the two groups.



Conclusion:

Combined neuromuscular control and progressive resistance training can reduce knee pain and improve balance and lower-limb motor function in female taekwondo athletes with knee pain.