The influence of menstrual cycle phase on isokinetic knee flexor and extensor strength in female soccer players: a pilot study.

The prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament injury in female soccer players has been attributed to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle (MC), with injury incidence greatest during the follicular phase. Eight, eumenorrheic, collegiate soccer players (19.5 ± 0.

Post-Activation Performance Enhancement of Punch Force and Neuromuscular Performance in Amateur Boxing: Toward a More Individualized and "Real-World" Approach.

Finlay, MJ, Greig, M, Bridge, CA, and Page, RM. Post-activation performance enhancement of punch force and neuromuscular performance in amateur boxing: Toward a more individualized and "real-world" approach. J Strength Cond Res 38(6): 1063-1071, 2024-Previous research on post-activation performance enhancement has been applied in several sporting settings, although this is lacking in a boxing setting.

The mechanical response to hockey-specific running gait: implications for the objective monitoring of (p)rehabilitation.

Field hockey is characterized by a unique dribbling position which has been associated with a prevalence of low back pain and lumbar injury. To quantify the biomechanical response of the hockey-specific running gait, twelve field hockey players completed treadmill running at speeds of 6, 9 and 12 km·hr with a normal running gait and whilst manipulating the hockey stick to replicate dribbling. Mechanical loading was quantified using tri-axial accelerometery at L4, and muscular activity was measured for biceps femoris (BF), gluteus medius (GM) and quadratus lumborum (QL) of each limb.

Exploring the issue of 'functionality' in isokinetic dynamometry.

Strength is a primary and modifiable contributor to performance, injury risk, and rehabilitative success. The gold standard measure of strength is the isokinetic dynamometer, providing the clinician with the opportunity to manipulate contraction modality, range, and speed about a joint. However, criticism has highlighted a lack of functional relevance, with arbitrary selection of speed across the full range.

Test-retest reliability and sensitivity of senior elite amateur boxers maximal punch force, as quantified by a vertically mounted force plate.

An ecologically valid, reliable and sensitive method of quantifying punch force variables would be useful for coaches and practitioners monitoring combat-specific performance. The present study utilised a vertically mounted force plate to quantify the peak punch force and rate of force development (RFD) of amateur boxers. Ten male senior elite amateur boxers performed maximal jab, cross, and hook punches across two separate days.

The gait abnormality index: A summary metric for three-dimensional gait analysis.

Background: This paper proposes an easy to calculate and adaptable summary gait metric, the Gait Abnormality Index (GAI), which is capable of simultaneously including kinematic and kinetic data, overcoming a key limitation of existing metrics.

Research Question: To determine the validity, reliability and sensitivity of the GAI.

Methods: The GAI is calculated by averaging Gait Abnormality Scores, which are normalised distance metrics used to describe the deviation of pathological gait data from that of healthy controls.

Tri-axial loading response to anti-gravity running highlights movement strategy compensations during knee injury rehabilitation of a professional soccer player.

Anti-gravity treadmills have been used in rehabilitation to manipulate exposure to loading and to prescribe return to outside running. Analysis is typically restricted to the vertical plane, but tri-axial accelerometry facilitates multi-planar analysis with relevance to injury mechanism. In this case a professional male soccer player, 4 weeks post-operative surgery to repair a medial meniscectomy, 8 months after Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction to the same knee, completed anti-gravity treadmill running at 70-95% bodyweight (BW) at 5% increments.

The Development of a Return to Performance Pathway Involving A Professional Soccer Player Returning From A Multi-Structural Knee Injury: A Case Report.

Unlabelled: This case report describes a male professional soccer player returning to match play (English Championship League) following a medial meniscectomy that occurred during the course of rehabilitation after Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The player underwent a medial meniscectomy eight months into an ACL rehabilitation program and following 10 weeks of rehabilitation successfully returned to competitive first team match play. This report outlines description of the pathology, the rehabilitation progressions, and the sports specific performance requirements of the player as they progressed through the return to performance pathway (RTP).

Postactivation Performance Enhancement of Amateur Boxers' Punch Force and Neuromuscular Performance Following 2 Upper-Body Conditioning Activities.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of upper-body punch-specific isometric (ISO) and elastic resistance (ER) conditioning activities (CAs) on the punch force and neuromuscular performance of amateur boxers.

Methods: Ten male senior elite amateur boxers (19.7 [1.

A low-volume Nordic hamstring curl programme improves change of direction ability, despite no architectural, strength or speed adaptations in elite youth soccer players.

Nordic hamstring curls (NHC) are a commonly used injury intervention method in amateur team sports. Seventeen elite male academy soccer players performed an 8-week low volume NHC programme. Pre-post intervention measures of isokinetic eccentric knee flexor (KF) strength, linear speed, COD performance, hamstring muscle thickness, pennation angle and fascicle length were recorded.

The influence of isokinetic dynamometer configuration on eccentric hamstring strength metrics: implications for testing and training.

Isokinetic dynamometry is the clinical gold standard for strength assessment but testing protocols and outcome metrics can lack functional relevance. To quantify the influence of dynamometer configuration on eccentric hamstring strength metrics, 23 trained participants completed isokinetic eccentric knee flexor trials at 180°·s in a seated and extended hip position. The extended position elicited a greater peak torque (P = 0.

Peak instantaneous PlayerLoad metrics highlight movement strategy deficits in professional male soccer players.

To investigate the influence of task, limb dominance and previous injury on single leg hop task performance and loading response, 25 professional male soccer players completed anterior, medial and lateral hop tests with an accelerometer at mid-calf. Performance outcome was defined as hop distance with loading response defined as the magnitude of, and time to peak instantaneous planar PlayerLoad. The performance was sensitive to task and previous injury (P < 0.

The influence of angle-specific torque of the knee flexors and extensors on the angle-specific dynamic control ratio in professional female soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether dynamic torque ratios (DCR) from isokinetic strength assessments of eccentric knee flexors (eccKF) and concentric knee extensors (conKE) display differences when stratified into specific angle-specific DCR (DCR) groups. Fifty-two professional female soccer players (age 21.30 ± 4.

Acute physiological, endocrine, biochemical and performance responses associated with amateur boxing: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Previous research has explored the demands of amateur boxing-specific activity; however, no holistic review of the acute responses to such activity currently exists. This paper aimed to provide a systematic review of the available literature on the acute physiological, endocrine, biochemical, and performance responses to amateur boxing-specific activity. Following a search of EBSCOhost, SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Google Scholar databases, 25 studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria for the review.

The effect of pre-exercise Nordic hamstring exercise on hamstring neuromuscular response during soccer-specific activity.

The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) has emerged as a popular intervention for improving eccentric hamstring strength, however recent literature suggests there is a potential for an increase in injury risk during subsequent exercise. To quantify the influence of pre-exercise NHE on the electromyographical response of the hamstrings, 10 male soccer players completed an experimental trial comprising 6 sets x 5 repetitions of NHE prior to the completion of a 45 minute soccer-specific protocol. Post-exercise NHE were performed in the experimental and control (no pre-exercise NHE) trials.

Upper-Body Post-activation Performance Enhancement for Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Recommendations for Future Research.

Background: Research on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is dominated by lower-body conditioning activities/performance test complexes. Despite the contribution of the upper body to many sporting actions, no review on upper-body PAPE currently exists.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to provide a synthesis of the available research on the inclusion of upper-body PAPE conditioning activities to improve athletic performance.

A critical appraisal of ankle rehabilitative interventions.

Lateral ankle sprain is a common musculoskeletal pathology. Functional exercise progression is vital to restore full function. The aim of this study was to compare the electromyographical response to a standard balance task on one stable and four unstable surfaces.

The association between competitor level and the physical preparation practices of amateur boxers.

Physical training, testing, and monitoring are three key constitutes of athlete physical performance; however, there is a currently a lack of information on the prevalence of such methods in amateur boxing. This study aimed to explore the physical preparation practices of senior elite (SEB) and senior development (SDB) amateur boxers, and to determine whether these practices were discriminated by competitor level. One hundred and one amateur boxers (SEB n = 59, SDB n = 42) were surveyed on their understanding, perceptions and application of physical training, monitoring, and testing practices.

Shedding light on incidence and burden of physeal injuries in a youth elite football academy: A 4-season prospective study.

Introduction: Physeal injuries have been overlooked in epidemiological research in youth sports. Our prospective study investigated the incidence, severity, and burden of physeal injuries in a youth elite football academy.

Methods: In total, 551 youth male football players from under-9 to under-19 were included and observed over four consecutive seasons.

Isokinetic profiling of elite youth footballers: informing selection of a practicable and efficacious isokinetic screening test.

Isokinetic dynamometry represents the clinical gold standard for strength assessment but testing lack consensus. Elite youth football players (n = 28) completed 20 repetitions (analysed as four epochs) of eccentric knee flexor (eccKF) and concentric knee extensor (conKE) trials at 60, 180 and 270°∙s, quantifying peak torque (PT) and functional range (FR). There was a significant (P < 0.

Within- and between-day loading response to ballet choreography.

Overuse pathologies are prevalent in ballet injury. Ten amateur ballet dancers (age: 23.20 ± 3.

Effect of Kinesiology Tape on Tri-Axial Accelerometry During the Dance Aerobic Fitness Test.

Kinesiology tape (KT) is thought to provide greater mechanical support during physical activity, however, there is a paucity of research investigating its application in dance. The study aimed to determine whether KT reduces PlayerLoad (PL) during the Dance Aerobic Fitness Test (DAFT) in addition to examining the relative sensitivity of accelerometer site locations.
Methods: University-level dancers (N = 11; age 18 ± 0.

The Temporal Pattern of Recovery in Directional Dynamic Stability Post Football-Specific Fatigue.

Background: Rising injury rates within football require further understanding of the etiological risk factors associated with lower-limb injury.

Aim: To examine the temporal pattern of recovery of directional dynamic stability measures post football-specific fatigue.

Methods: Eighteen male elite footballers completed baseline assessments of directional dynamic stability measures (Overall Stability Index, anterior-posterior stability [A-P], medial-lateral stability [M-L] on level 1 of the Biodex Stability System).