Duration-Specific Peak Acceleration Demands During Professional Female Basketball Matches.

Describing the most intense periods of match-play is important in player monitoring and the development of specific training programs. The aim of this study was to extract maximum accelerations during basketball match-play and describe those as a function over time durations. Twelve professional female basketballers were monitored during 13 official matches to calculate acceleration profiles. Moving medians of time durations ranging from 0.3 to 1,800 s were computed to extract peak acceleration and deceleration magnitudes for the resultant (|acc|), horizontal (|acc|), and vertical (|acc|) planes. The relationship between peak magnitudes and time durations was modeled by an exponential function. Distinct curve characteristics can be described by the function parameters and , which refer to an athlete's ability to perform maximum acceleration intensities over short-time () and middle-time intervals (). Generalized linear mixed-models were calculated to determine plane-specific differences in acceleration and deceleration capacities. Function parameters differed significantly between |acc|, |acc| and |acc| [effect size (ES) = 0.33-1.15]. Comparisons within each movement plane revealed significant differences between positive and negative |acc| for the parameters (ES = 0.34) and (ES = 0.39). All function parameters differed significantly between |acc| and |dec| (ES = 0.39-0.71). Rank analyses between players revealed significant inter-individual differences for all function parameters in all groups. Modeling peak acceleration magnitudes as a function over log-transformed time durations provides an opportunity to systematically quantify the most intense periods of match-play over short, middle and long time intervals (0.3-1,800 s). Detailed knowledge about these periods may positively contribute to training prescriptions, which intend to prepare players for highest intensities experienced during match-play in order to improve performance and prevent injuries. Derived function parameters allow inter-individual comparisons and provide insights into players' physical capabilities. This study further examines plane-specific intensity demands of professional female basketball, emphasizing the need for coaches to prepare players for maximum decelerations in the vertical plane.