{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]],"date-time":"2025-10-24T02:24:07Z","timestamp":1761272647721,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,28]],"date-time":"2025-09-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759017600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomimetics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Backward running is common in handball defense and relies heavily on proprioceptive control when visual information is limited. Twenty-eight male handball players were allocated to three groups: experimental novice group with blindfold training (n = 7), control novice group with the same training without blindfold (n = 7), and target professional group (n = 14). Both novice groups completed a 6-week balance program (3 \u00d7 20 min\/week). Lower-limb kinematics during backward running were captured with a 6-camera motion analysis system, and inter-joint coordination was quantified by Mean Absolute Relative Phase (MARP) and Deviation Phase (DP) for ankle\u2013knee and knee\u2013pelvic couplings. At baseline, professionals showed greater ankle\u2013knee MARP than novices (ANOVA F(2,25) = 9.42, p &lt; 0.001). Representative means (mean \u00b1 SD): ankle\u2013knee MARP novices 1.62\u20131.79 vs. professionals 3.83. After training, ankle\u2013knee MARP increased in both novice groups (experimental: t(6) = 4.72, p &lt; 0.001; control: t(6) = 5.02, p &lt; 0.001), approaching professional values (post-training novices \u2248 3.22\u20133.26). Post-training between-group differences were non-significant for ankle\u2013knee MARP (ANOVA F(2,25) = 1.24, p = 0.30), while ankle\u2013knee DP showed a group effect (F(2,25) = 5.12, p = 0.01; experimental vs. professional t(19) = 3.12, p = 0.01). A short-term balance program improved ankle\u2013knee coordination during backward running in novice male players; additional blindfolding did not yield extra benefit over 6 weeks. These findings can inform short-term training and rehabilitation planning for handball, while long-term effects require future study.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biomimetics10100649","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T14:01:39Z","timestamp":1759154499000},"page":"649","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Impact of Utilizing a Balancing Blindfold During Training on the Backward Running Technique in Experienced and Novice Male Handball Players"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Aydin","family":"Najipour","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Siamak","family":"Khorramymehr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kamran","family":"Hassani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran"},{"name":"School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"204","DOI":"10.1186\/s13102-022-00588-x","article-title":"Risk factors for shoulder injuries in handball: Systematic review","volume":"14","author":"Hadjisavvas","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Sports Sci. 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