Next Issue
Volume 10, January
Previous Issue
Volume 9, November
 
 

Sports, Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2021) – 16 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Previous studies have investigated caffeine (CAF) and taurine (TAU) in isolation and combined during exercise in males. However, the potential synergistic effect during high-intensity exercise remains unknown in female athletes. This paper focuses on whether caffeine and taurine can improve sprint performance in female athletes where the participants are habitual caffeine consumers. View this paper
  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
10 pages, 370 KiB  
Article
Sports Participation and Value of Elite Sports in Predicting Well-Being
by Alfredo Silva, Pedro Sobreiro and Diogo Monteiro
Sports 2021, 9(12), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120173 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3421
Abstract
This work contributes to an emerging literature focused on the role of physical activity on the subjective well-being of populations. Unlike the existing literature, it proposes an approach that uses algorithms to predict subjective well-being. The aims of this study were to determine [...] Read more.
This work contributes to an emerging literature focused on the role of physical activity on the subjective well-being of populations. Unlike the existing literature, it proposes an approach that uses algorithms to predict subjective well-being. The aims of this study were to determine the relative importance of sports participation and perceived value of elite sports on the subjective well-being of individuals. A total of 511 participants completed an online questionnaire. The statistical analysis used several machine learning techniques, including three algorithms, Decision Tree Classifier (DTC), Random Forest Classifier (RFC), and Gradient Boosting Classifier (GBC). In the three algorithms tested, sports participation, expressed as the weekly frequency and the time spent engaging in vigorous physical activity, showed a greater importance (between 47% and 53%) in determining subjective well-being. It also highlights the effect of perceived value of elite sport on the prediction of subjective well-being. This study provides evidence for public sport policy makers/authorities and for managers of physical activity and sport development programs. The surprising effect of the perceived value of elite sport on the prediction of subjective well-being. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2545 KiB  
Review
Turbans vs. Helmets: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature on Head Injuries and Impact Loci of Cranial Trauma in Several Recreational Outdoor Sports
by Dirk H. R. Spennemann
Sports 2021, 9(12), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120172 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3771
Abstract
When in public, faith-based mandates require practising Sikh men to wear a turban which may not be covered by hats or caps. This makes it impossible for practising Sikhs to wear helmets and other protective headwear, mandatory in many countries and facilities for [...] Read more.
When in public, faith-based mandates require practising Sikh men to wear a turban which may not be covered by hats or caps. This makes it impossible for practising Sikhs to wear helmets and other protective headwear, mandatory in many countries and facilities for engagement in recreational pursuits (e.g., skiing) and on adventure outdoor recreation camps mandatorily run for school groups. The result is often social exclusion and ostracisation in the case of school children. Despite studies into the efficacy of protective helmets in some recreational outdoor activity settings, virtually nothing is known about the protective potential of turbans. This paper systematically reviews the extant literature on head injuries in several recreational outdoor activities and sports sectors (aerial, water, winter, wheeled and animal-based sports) and finds that the extant literature is of limited value when trying to understand the spatial distribution of trauma on the cranial surface. As the data do not permit to make inferences on the protective potential of turbans, future systematic, evidence-based epidemiological studies derived from hospital admissions and forensic examinations are required. Failure to do so perpetuates social exclusion and discrimination of religious grounds without an evidentiary basis for defensible public health measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sports Injury: Prevention and Rehabilitation)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 548 KiB  
Article
Maturity Has a Greater Association than Relative Age with Physical Performance in English Male Academy Soccer Players
by John M. Radnor, Jacob Staines, James Bevan, Sean P. Cumming, Adam L. Kelly, Rhodri S. Lloyd and Jon L. Oliver
Sports 2021, 9(12), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120171 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 6034
Abstract
This study aimed to: (1) examine differences in physical performance across birth-quartiles and maturity-status, and (2) determine the relationships among relative age, maturation and physical performance in young male soccer players. The sample included 199 males aged between 8.1 and 18.9 years, from [...] Read more.
This study aimed to: (1) examine differences in physical performance across birth-quartiles and maturity-status, and (2) determine the relationships among relative age, maturation and physical performance in young male soccer players. The sample included 199 males aged between 8.1 and 18.9 years, from two professional soccer academies in the English Football League. Data were collected for height, weight, self-reported biological parent heights, 30 m sprint time and countermovement jump (CMJ) height. Relative age was conveyed as a decimal, while maturity status was determined as the percentage of predicted adult height (PAH). There were no significant differences in any measure between birth quartiles, however early maturers outperformed on-time and later maturers in most performance measures. Pearson-product-moment correlations revealed that maturation was inversely associated with 30 m sprint time in U12 to U16 (r = −0.370–0.738; p < 0.05), but only positively associated with CMJ performance in U12 (r = 0.497; p < 0.05). In contrast, relative age was unrelated to sprint performance and only significantly associated with superior CMJ performance in U16. This study indicates that maturity has a greater association with sprint performance than relative age in English male academy soccer players. Practitioners should monitor and assess biological maturation in young soccer players to attempt to control for the influence on physical performance, and avoid biasing selection on absolute performance rather than identifying the most talented player. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Talent Identification and Development in Youth Sports)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 912 KiB  
Review
Training Management of the Elite Adolescent Soccer Player throughout Maturation
by Alistair J. McBurnie, Thomas Dos’Santos, David Johnson and Edward Leng
Sports 2021, 9(12), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120170 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8071 | Correction
Abstract
Professional soccer clubs invest significantly into the development of their academy prospects with the hopes of producing elite players. Talented youngsters in elite development systems are exposed to high amounts of sports-specific practise with the aims of developing the foundational skills underpinning the [...] Read more.
Professional soccer clubs invest significantly into the development of their academy prospects with the hopes of producing elite players. Talented youngsters in elite development systems are exposed to high amounts of sports-specific practise with the aims of developing the foundational skills underpinning the capabilities needed to excel in the game. Yet large disparities in maturation status, growth-related issues, and highly-specialised sport practise predisposes these elite youth soccer players to an increased injury risk. However, practitioners may scaffold a performance monitoring and injury surveillance framework over an academy to facilitate data-informed training decisions that may not only mitigate this inherent injury risk, but also enhance athletic performance. Constant communication between members of the multi-disciplinary team enables context to build around an individual’s training status and risk profile, and ensures that a progressive, varied, and bespoke training programme is provided at all stages of development to maximise athletic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Talent Identification and Development in Youth Sports)
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1154 KiB  
Opinion
The Recovery Umbrella in the World of Elite Sport: Do Not Forget the Coaching and Performance Staff
by Julio Calleja-González, Stephen P. Bird, Thomas Huyghe, Igor Jukic, Francesco Cuzzolin, Francesc Cos, Diego Marqués-Jiménez, Luka Milanovic, Jaime Sampaio, Isaac López-Laval, Sergej M. Ostojic, Margaret T. Jones, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Xavi Schelling, Anne Delextrat, Meeta Singh, Jonathan Charest, Tomás T. Freitas, Lorena Torres Ronda, Adam Petway, Daniel Medina, Antonio Tramullas, Juan Mielgo-Ayuso, Nicolas Terrados and Chris McLellanadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Sports 2021, 9(12), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120169 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 12081
Abstract
In the field of sports science, the recovery umbrella is a trending topic, and even more so in the world of elite sports. This is evidenced by the significant increase in scientific publications during the last 10 years as teams look to find [...] Read more.
In the field of sports science, the recovery umbrella is a trending topic, and even more so in the world of elite sports. This is evidenced by the significant increase in scientific publications during the last 10 years as teams look to find a competitive edge. Recovery is recognized to be an integral component to assist athlete preparation in the restoration of physical and psychological function, and subsequently, performance in elite team sports athletes. However, the importance of recovery in team staff members (sports coaches and performance staff) in elite sports appears to be a forgotten element. Given the unrelenting intense nature of daily tasks and responsibilities of team staff members, the elite sports environment can predispose coaches to increased susceptibility to psycho-socio physiological fatigue burden, and negatively affect health, wellbeing, and performance. Therefore, the aim of this opinion was to (1) develop an educational recovery resource for team staff members, (2) identify organizational task-specific fatigue indicators and barriers to recovery and self-care in team staff members, and (3) present recovery implementation strategies to assist team staff members in meeting their organizational functions. It is essential that we do not forget the coaching and performance staff in the recovery process. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 713 KiB  
Article
The Integration of Wheelchair Users in Team Handball
by Steffen Greve, Sinikka Heisler, Pia von Keutz, Blall Shirdel and Frowin Fasold
Sports 2021, 9(12), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120168 - 14 Dec 2021
Viewed by 3821
Abstract
Thus far, there are only a few sports activities in which people with and without intellectual disabilities can participate together and on an equal footing. The situation is even more complicated when people who are dependent on a wheelchair want to take part. [...] Read more.
Thus far, there are only a few sports activities in which people with and without intellectual disabilities can participate together and on an equal footing. The situation is even more complicated when people who are dependent on a wheelchair want to take part. The sports project Freiwurf Hamburg aims to make team handball playable for everyone. This case study documents how this can be achieved with a modified version of the handball game for runners and wheelchair users. Qualitative and quantitative data are collected and evaluated. The results show that players tend to distinguish between the roles of runner and wheelchair user rather than between disabled and non-disabled. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1148 KiB  
Article
The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality on Anxiety and Performance in Female Soccer Players
by Kaitlyn Harrison, Emily Potts, Adam C. King and Robyn Braun-Trocchio
Sports 2021, 9(12), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120167 - 13 Dec 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4618
Abstract
With the increased use of technology, relaxation interventions are finding their way into technology devices like virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR HMDs). However, there is a lack of evidence on the efficacy of VR relaxation interventions to reduce anxiety in athletes and how [...] Read more.
With the increased use of technology, relaxation interventions are finding their way into technology devices like virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR HMDs). However, there is a lack of evidence on the efficacy of VR relaxation interventions to reduce anxiety in athletes and how that is portrayed in their movement patterns. The purpose of the current study was to examine how a VR relaxation intervention affected perceived anxiety levels and penalty kick performance of female soccer players. Thirteen female soccer players took five penalty kicks in baseline, stress-induced, and VR relaxation conditions. Perceived levels of anxiety, self-confidence, mental effort, heart rate (HR), accelerometry of the lumbar spine and thigh, and performance in each condition was obtained. Results indicated that the VR intervention significantly reduced cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety from baseline (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) and stress (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) with large effect sizes (Kendall’s W = 0.72; 0.83). VR significantly increased self-confidence from baseline (p = 0.002) and stress (p = 0.001) with a large effect size (Kendall’s W = 0.71). Additionally, all participants felt that VR helped them relax. Mental effort was significantly higher in the stress condition compared to that in baseline (p = 0.007) with moderate effect size (Kendall’s W = 0.39). Peak acceleration and performance were not significantly influenced by stress or VR. This study serves as an initial step to evaluate VR relaxation interventions on performance in female soccer players. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 639 KiB  
Article
Annual Baseline King-Devick Oculomotor Function Testing Is Needed Due to Scores Varying by Age
by Dearbhla Gallagher, Doug King, Patria Hume, Trevor Clark, Alan Pearce and Conor Gissane
Sports 2021, 9(12), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120166 - 13 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3144
Abstract
Objective: To document baseline King-Devick (K-D) oculomotor function scores for male and female participants aged between 4 and 20 years old. Methods: Utilising a cross section of schools, rugby clubs and gymnastic clubs, 1936 participants (1300 male, 636 female) completed the spiral-bound K-D [...] Read more.
Objective: To document baseline King-Devick (K-D) oculomotor function scores for male and female participants aged between 4 and 20 years old. Methods: Utilising a cross section of schools, rugby clubs and gymnastic clubs, 1936 participants (1300 male, 636 female) completed the spiral-bound K-D test for the identification of disturbed oculomotor function. Results: This study identified that overall, the baseline scores of the K-D test became faster by 1.4 (0.3 to 4.5) s per year, when compared with the previous age group in the same number of reading card groups. When comparing normative values of the original K-D validation study with the same age groups of the current cohort, participants aged 6 to 11 years recorded a faster baseline time (range 3.5 to 8.6 s), while those in the 12 to 14 years. age group recorded slower baseline times (range −3.9 to −7.9 s). Discussion: In general, there were age group differences, but not sex differences, for K-D test times in the current cohort. Analysis of single card times, across all age groups, showed changes likely due to improved reading time. Conclusion: The results support the need for individualised annual pre-injury baseline testing of the K-D test. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 14156 KiB  
Article
Contextual Variation in External and Internal Workloads across the Competitive Season of a Collegiate Women’s Soccer Team
by Lauren E. Rentz, William Guy Hornsby, Wesley J. Gawel, Bobby G. Rawls, Jad Ramadan and Scott M. Galster
Sports 2021, 9(12), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120165 - 8 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3100
Abstract
As sports technology has continued to develop, monitoring athlete workloads, performance, and recovery has demonstrated boundless benefits for athlete and team success. Specifically, technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS) and heart rate (HR) monitors have granted the opportunity to delve deeper into [...] Read more.
As sports technology has continued to develop, monitoring athlete workloads, performance, and recovery has demonstrated boundless benefits for athlete and team success. Specifically, technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS) and heart rate (HR) monitors have granted the opportunity to delve deeper into performance contributors, and how variations may exist based upon context. A team of NCAA Division I women’s soccer athletes were monitored during games throughout one competitive season. Individual athlete, positional groups, and team external and internal workloads were explored for differences based upon game location, opponent ranking, game result, and the final score differential. Game location and opponent ranking were found to have no effect on team-wide absolute or relative external workloads, whereas game result and score differential did. Internal workloads across the team tended to only vary by game half, independent of game context; however, the HR of defenders was determined to be higher during losses as compared to wins (p = 0.0256). Notably, the games that resulted in losses also represented the games with the fewest number of substitutions. These findings suggest high value in monitoring performance and workloads that are characteristic of varying, often multifaceted, contexts. It is hoped that this information can lead to more informed approaches to vital game-time and coaching decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning and Performance Monitoring in Sports)
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
Gender Effect on the Relationship between Talent Identification Tests and Later World Triathlon Series Performance
by Alba Cuba-Dorado, Veronica Vleck, Tania Álvarez-Yates and Oscar Garcia-Garcia
Sports 2021, 9(12), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120164 - 6 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3092
Abstract
Background: We examined the explanatory power of the Spanish triathlon talent identification (TID) tests for later World Triathlon Series (WTS)-level racing performance as a function of gender. Methods: Youth TID (100 m and 1000 m swimming and 400 m and 1000 m running) [...] Read more.
Background: We examined the explanatory power of the Spanish triathlon talent identification (TID) tests for later World Triathlon Series (WTS)-level racing performance as a function of gender. Methods: Youth TID (100 m and 1000 m swimming and 400 m and 1000 m running) test performance times for when they were 14–19 years old, and WTS performance data up to the end of 2017, were obtained for 29 female and 24 male “successful” Spanish triathletes. The relationships between the athletes’ test performances and their later best WTS ranking positions and performance times were modeled using multiple linear regression. Results: The swimming and running TID test data had greater explanatory power for best WTS ranking in the females and for best WTS position in the males (R2a = 0.34 and 0.37, respectively, p ≤ 0.009). The swimming TID times were better related to later race performance than were the running TID times. The predictive power of the TID tests for WTS performance was, however, low, irrespective of exercise mode and athlete gender. Conclusions: These results confirm that triathlon TID tests should not be based solely on swimming and running performance. Moreover, the predictive value of the individual tests within the Spanish TID battery is gender specific. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maximising Triathlon Health and Performance: the State of the Art)
15 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Predicting Seasonal Performance in Professional Sport: A 30-Year Analysis of Sports Illustrated Predictions
by Justine Jones, Kathryn Johnston, Lou Farah and Joseph Baker
Sports 2021, 9(12), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120163 - 1 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4069
Abstract
In 2017, Sports Illustrated (SI) made headlines when their remarkable prediction from 2014 that the Houston Astros (a team in one of the lowest Major League Baseball divisional rankings) would win the World Series, came true. The less-publicised story was that in 2017, [...] Read more.
In 2017, Sports Illustrated (SI) made headlines when their remarkable prediction from 2014 that the Houston Astros (a team in one of the lowest Major League Baseball divisional rankings) would win the World Series, came true. The less-publicised story was that in 2017, SI predicted the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the Major League Baseball (MLB) title. Assessing the forecasting accuracy of experts is critical as it explores the difficulty and limitations of forecasts and can help illuminate how predictions may shape sociocultural notions of sport in society. To thoroughly investigate SI’s forecasting record, predictions were collected from the four major North American sporting leagues (the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and National Hockey League) over the last 30 years (1988–2018). Kruskal–Wallis H Tests and Mann–Whitney U Tests were used to evaluate the absolute and relative accuracy of predictions. Results indicated that SI had the greatest predictive accuracy in the National Basketball Association and was significantly more likely to predict divisional winners compared to conference and league champions. Future work in this area may seek to examine multiple media outlets to gain a more comprehensive perspective on forecasting accuracy in sport. Full article
9 pages, 605 KiB  
Article
Combined but Not Isolated Ingestion of Caffeine and Taurine Improves Wingate Sprint Performance in Female Team-Sport Athletes Habituated to Caffeine
by Raci Karayigit, Alireza Naderi, Bryan Saunders, Scott C. Forbes, Juan Del Coso, Erfan Berjisian, Ulas Can Yildirim and Katsuhiko Suzuki
Sports 2021, 9(12), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120162 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4757
Abstract
Previous studies have investigated caffeine (CAF) and taurine (TAU) in isolation and combined during exercise in males. However, the potential synergistic effect during high-intensity exercise remains unknown in female athletes. Seventeen female team-sport athletes participated (age: 23.4 ± 2.1 years; height: 1.68 ± [...] Read more.
Previous studies have investigated caffeine (CAF) and taurine (TAU) in isolation and combined during exercise in males. However, the potential synergistic effect during high-intensity exercise remains unknown in female athletes. Seventeen female team-sport athletes participated (age: 23.4 ± 2.1 years; height: 1.68 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 59.5 ± 2.2 kg). All participants were habitual caffeine consumers (340.1 ± 28.6 mg/day). A double-blind randomized crossover design was used. Participants completed four experimental trials: (i) CAF and TAU (6 mg/kg body mass of CAF + 1 g of TAU), (ii) CAF alone; (iii) TAU alone; and (iv) placebo (PLA). Supplements were ingested 60 min before a 30-s Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT). Heart rate and blood lactate (BL) were measured before and immediately after the WAnT; and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded immediately after the WAnT. Peak power (PP) was significantly higher following co-ingestion of CAF+TAU compared to PLA (p = 0.03) and TAU (p = 0.03). Mean power (MP) was significantly higher following co-ingestion of CAF+TAU compared to PLA (p = 0.01). No other differences were found between conditions for PP and MP (p > 0.05). There were also no observed differences in fatigue index (FI), BL; heart rate; and RPE between conditions (p > 0.05). In conclusion, compared to PLA the combined ingestion of 6 mg/kg of CAF and 1 g of TAU improved both PP and MP in female athletes habituated to caffeine; however; CAF and TAU independently failed to augment WAnT performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Pre-Workout Supplementation on Exercise Performance)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2 pages, 185 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Researching Sports Biomechanics for Disabled People”
by Luca Paolo Ardigò, Ibrahim Ouergui, Johnny Padulo, Hadi Nobari and Damiano Formenti
Sports 2021, 9(12), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120161 - 26 Nov 2021
Viewed by 3468
Abstract
Disabled people compete at high levels in several sport disciplines and physical activity for this population has become a high interest area of study in biomechanics [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Researching Sports Biomechanics for Disabled People)
11 pages, 743 KiB  
Article
The Potentiating Response to Accentuated Eccentric Loading in Professional Football Players
by Mark Steven Godwin, Tim Fearnett and Mark Ashton Newman
Sports 2021, 9(12), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120160 - 26 Nov 2021
Viewed by 3149
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the acute effect of Accentuated Eccentric Loading (AEL) on countermovement jump (CMJ) height, peak power output (PPO) and peak velocity in male professional footballers using loads of 20% or 40% of body mass (AEL20 or [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to assess the acute effect of Accentuated Eccentric Loading (AEL) on countermovement jump (CMJ) height, peak power output (PPO) and peak velocity in male professional footballers using loads of 20% or 40% of body mass (AEL20 or AEL40, respectively). Twenty-three male professional football players (age 24 ± 4.5 years, range 18–34 years; body mass 80.21 ± 8.4 kg; height 178.26 ± 7.62 cm) took part in a randomised, cross-over design to test the potentiating responses of two AEL conditions (AEL20 and AEL40) versus a body weight control group (CON). Mean loads for the two conditions were 15.84 ± 1.70 kg (AEL20) and 31.67 ± 3.40 kg (AEL40). There was no significant difference between the three conditions for jump height (p = 0.507, η2G = 0.022). There were significant differences in peak power between the groups (p = 0.001, η2G = 0.154). Post hoc analysis with Bonferroni adjustment showed significantly higher peak power for both AEL conditions compared to the control group, but no significant differences between AEL conditions (CON vs. AEL20, p = 0.029, 95% CI −1016.735, −41.815, Cohen’s d = −0.56; CON vs. AEL40, p = 0.001, 95% CI −1244.995, −270.075, Cohen’s d = −0.81; AEL20 vs. AEL40, p = 0.75, 95% CI −715.720, 259.201, Cohen’s d = −0.24). There was no significant difference between the three conditions for peak velocity (p = 0.269, η2G = 0.046). AEL using either 20% or 40% of body mass may be used to increase peak power in the countermovement jump in well-trained professional football players. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2213 KiB  
Article
Acute Effects of Static Self-Stretching Exercises and Foam Roller Self-Massaging on the Trunk Range of Motions and Strength of the Trunk Extensors
by Maria Fonta, Elias Tsepis, Konstantinos Fousekis and Dimitris Mandalidis
Sports 2021, 9(12), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120159 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5690
Abstract
Although the effectiveness of static self-stretching exercises (SSSEs) and foam roller self-massaging (FRSM) in joint range of motion and muscle strength of the lower limbs has been extensively investigated, little is known about their effectiveness on the posterior trunk muscles. The present study [...] Read more.
Although the effectiveness of static self-stretching exercises (SSSEs) and foam roller self-massaging (FRSM) in joint range of motion and muscle strength of the lower limbs has been extensively investigated, little is known about their effectiveness on the posterior trunk muscles. The present study aimed to investigate the acute effects of two 7-min SSSEs and FRSM intervention protocols on the range of trunk movements and the strength of the trunk extensors. Twenty-five healthy active males (n = 14) and females (n = 11) performed each intervention separately, one week apart. The range of motion (ROM) of the trunk-hip flexion (T-HF), the ROM of the trunk side-flexion (TSF) and rotation (TR) bilaterally, as well as the isometric maximum strength (TESmax) and endurance (TESend) of the trunk extensors were measured before and after each intervention. The ROMs of T-HF, TSF, and TR were significantly increased following both SSSEs and FRSM. The TESmax and TESend were also significantly increased after FRSM, but decreased following SSSEs. While both interventions were effective in increasing the range of motion of the trunk, a single 7-min session of FRSM presented more advantages over a similar duration SSSEs protocol due to the increase in the strength of the trunk extensors it induced. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1542 KiB  
Article
Effects of Three Different Combined Training Interventions on Jump, Change of Direction, Power Performance, and Inter-Limb Asymmetry in Male Youth Soccer Players
by Alejandro Moreno-Azze, José Luis Arjol-Serrano, David Falcón-Miguel, Chris Bishop and Oliver Gonzalo-Skok
Sports 2021, 9(12), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9120158 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4101
Abstract
Background: This study compared the effects of performing different unilateral combined training interventions on diverse vertical and horizontal jumping performance parameters, change of direction, concentric and eccentric mean power, and their associated inter-limb asymmetries in young soccer players. Methods: Forty-seven young male soccer [...] Read more.
Background: This study compared the effects of performing different unilateral combined training interventions on diverse vertical and horizontal jumping performance parameters, change of direction, concentric and eccentric mean power, and their associated inter-limb asymmetries in young soccer players. Methods: Forty-seven young male soccer players (age: 15.5 ± 0.9 years) were distributed into three groups. Two groups performed the same training volume with both legs, beginning with the weaker leg (Stronger Volume Weaker leg group (SVW), n = 14) or with the stronger leg (Stronger Volume Stronger leg group, (SVS), n = 15). The third group executed double the volume with the weaker leg and also commenced with such leg (Double Volume Weaker leg group (DVW), n = 16) during a 10-week period. Pre- and post-intervention tests included a single-leg hop, single-leg lateral hop, triple hop, bilateral and unilateral countermovement jumps, a change of direction speed test, concentric and eccentric mean power during the lateral squat test, and their corresponding asymmetries. Results: Single-leg hop weaker leg, triple hop weaker leg, and bilateral countermovement jump improvements were achieved in the SVW (ES: 0.29 to 0.46) and DVW (ES: 0.55 to 0.73) groups. Between-groups analysis showed better results in single-leg hop in the SVW and DVW compared to group SVS. The DVW group achieved better improvements in countermovement jump in comparison to groups SVS and SVW. Conclusions: Groups that started with the weaker leg seemed to achieve a greater volume of significant changes than when starting with the stronger leg. Performing a double volume on the weaker limb does not guarantee further improved performance compared to other groups. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop