Association of regional bioelectrical phase angle with physical performance: a pilot study in elite rowers

Background. This study aimed to examine the association between regional Phase Angle (PhA) and physical performance in athletes where the use of specific body segments is required.Methods. Sixteen elite-level rowers (13 male aged 17.6 +/- 2.1 yr; 3 female aged 21.0 +/- 4.4 yr) participated in this investigation. Raw bioimpedance parameters were obtained with a phase-sensitive 50 kHz bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device and fat-free mass, percentage of fat mass (FM%), and arms and legs lean soft tissue (ALST and LLST, respectively) were estimated using specific BIA-equation developed for athletes. The time (2000t) and the mean power (MP) expressed during the 2000 m test performed on a rowing ergometer were measured.Results. The major findings of the study were that upper hemisome PhA (UPhA) were more strongly related with 2000t (R2 = 0.35, p = 0.015) and MP (R2 = 0.40, p = 0.009) than whole-body PhA. Additionally, not only UPhA maintained a significant relationship with 2000t (p = 0.001) and MP (p = 0.001), even after adjustment for the co-variables sex, ALST, and FM%, but the explained variance increased to R2 = 0.72 and R2 = 0.78, respectively.Conclusions. These results suggest that the regional PhA might be used as a tool for evaluating performance related parameters in sports where specific body segments are involved, preferring it to the whole-body measured value

Bioimpedance Phase Angle and Muscle Strength Performance in Young Male Volleyball Athletes

Volleyball performance depends partially on lower limb strength. The phase angle (PhA) is a marker of functional muscle mass and a surrogate measure of athletic muscle performance. This study aimed to verify the correlation between PhA (bioimpedance) and lower limb muscle strength in young volleyball athletes. The sample included 38 young male volleyball athletes (Age: 16.7±1.3 years; Weight: 73.7±9.7 kg; Height: 179.3±6.9 cm). We performed a cross-sectional observational study and evaluated the volleyball athletes for vertical jump tests (Counter-Movement Jump: CMJ and Squat Jump: SJ) and whole-body bioimpedance. The Pearson test showed positive and moderate significant correlations between the PhA, CMJ, and SJ (r=0.550 and r=0.559, respectively). Our findings demonstrated that assessing the PhA through bioimpedance provides relevant measures of muscle strength and power in young volleyball athletes

Reference Percentiles for Bioelectrical Phase Angle in Athletes

The present study aimed to develop reference values for bioelectrical phase angle in male and female athletes from different sports. Overall, 2224 subjects participated in this study [1658 males (age 26.2±8.9 y) and 566 females (age 26.9±6.6 y)]. Participants were categorized by their sport discipline and sorted into three different sport modalities: Endurance, velocity/power, and team sports. Phase angle was directly measured using a foot-to-hand bioimpedance technology at a 50 kHz frequency during the in-season period. Reference percentiles (5th, 15th, 50th, 85th, and 95th) were calculated and stratified by sex, sport discipline and modality using an empirical Bayesian analysis. This method allows for the sharing of information between different groups, creating reference percentiles, even for sports disciplines with few observations. Phase angle differed (men: P<0.001; women: P=0.003) among the three sport modalities, where endurance athletes showed a lower value than the other groups (men: Vs. velocity/power: P=0.010, 95% CI=−0.43 to −0.04; vs. team sports: P < 0.001, 95% CI=−0.48 to −0.02; women: Vs. velocity/power: P=0.002, 95% CI=−0.59 to −0.10; vs. team sports: P=0.015, 95% CI=−0.52 to−0.04). Male athletes showed a higher phase angle than female athletes within each sport modality (endurance: p<0.01, 95% CI=0.63 to 1.14; velocity/power: P<0.01, 95% CI=0.68 to 1.07; team sports: P<0.01, 95% CI=0.98 to 1.23). We derived phase angle reference percentiles for endurance, velocity/power, and team sports athletes. Additionally, we calculated sex-specific references for a total of 22 and 19 sport disciplines for male and female athletes, respectively. This study provides sex and sport-specific percentiles for phase angle that can track body composition and performance-related parameters in athletes

The role of somatic maturation on bioimpedance patterns and body composition in male elite youth soccer players

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of chronological age (CA) and somatic maturation on body composition (BC) and bioimpedance parameters in male elite soccer players. BC and bioimpedance variables were measured in a sample of 249 players aged 9 1218 years of age and registered in two professional Italian soccer teams. Results from segmental analysis showed transition time points where the influence of CA and somatic maturation on bioimpedance patterns and BC characteristics increased or subsided. The accelerated phases were assessed for fat free mass, total body water, and upper muscle area, with a starting time point at approximately 122.00 years from peak at velocity (YPHV), and for body cell mass, whose developmental tempo sped up around 121.00 YPHV. An increase in the rate of development was also observed close to 122.00 YPHV for phase angle (PA), although without accelerated phases. From a CA point of view, significant slope changes were found for all BC and bioimpendance variables, except for the calf muscle area. Although the starting points and the span of the accelerated phases were different, they subsided or disappeared at ~15 years, except for PA, whose growth waned at ~17 years

THE ROAD TO 2024 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL: A CASE REPORT OF THREE ELITE BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

The anthropometrics, limbs maximum isometric force and jump performance in beach-volleyball players were described. Three female elite beach volleyball players selected to participate in the 2022 World Championships Circuit were recruited to participate in the study. Body composition, squat, supine, and rowing isometric maximal force, and power test, squat, and countermovement jumps were measured. Body fat percentage varied between 13 and 24.2%. Squat, supine and rowing isometric force (N) presented median (M) and interquartile ranges (IQR) of 145 (128, 186.6), 40 (33, 66.75) and 65.2 (57.6, 76,6). The height (cm), absolute (W) and relative power (W/kg) M and IQR range values were 32.55 (27.32, 35.10), 32.69 (31.50, 34.69) and 44.18 (40.65, 46.30). Findings can guide morphological and physical training for elite players

Long-term effects of sport on segmental body composition: a study in adult and elderly subjects.

Research investigating the effects of sport in the elderly has demonstrated that physical exercise contributes to maintain muscle mass and to contrast the increase of fat mass. However, the effects of long-term sport on body composition, in particular on segmental body composition, and the effect of different sports have been less investigated. The objective of this research was to study the long-term effects of physical exercise on physiological and psychological well-being in the elderly. For this purpose, a first section of the thesis concerned methodological aspects related to body composition assessment: 1) the comparison of specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (specific BIVA) with reference techniques; 2) the association between specific BIVA and self-perceived body image; 3) the comparison of results among widely used impedance devices. Different samples and techniques were used for each objective. 1) 202 athletes (139 men and 63 women; 20.6 ± 5.1 years of age) for the total body composition study, and 50 young active students (25 men and 25 women; 24.3 ± 4.6 y) for the study on segmental body composition. DXA was used as the criterion method to assess fat-free mass (FFM), fat-mass (FM), and %FM; dilution techniques were used to assess total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW), respectively. 2) 632 young adults (238 men and 394 women; 22.8 ± 2.3 y) and 162 middle-aged and elderly adults (96 men and 66 women; 61.4 ± 7.6 y). The Williamson’s figure scale was used to evaluate current body size. 3) 31 adults (8 men and 23 women; 39.8 ± 14.2 y). Three different bioimpedance devices. Specific BIVA showed to be accurate in the assessment of %FM and ECW/ICW ratio. The segmental approach showed a good agreement with DXA too. The analysis of the relationship between current body image and body composition showed that young and elderly normal weight individuals of both sexes recognise themselves correctly, and consider their silhouettes mainly associated with %FM. The comparison among bioimpedance devices showed systematic differences in the measure of reactance. The bias was amended by a correction factor. Following these results, the second section of the thesis investigated total and segmental body composition, muscle strength, morphological and functional symmetry, degree of depression and body image perception in middle aged and elderly individuals. A sample of 106 active subjects (72 men and 34 women; 60.9 ± 7.5 y), involved in three different sports (Tennis, Tai Chi, Running), and a sample of 105 age-matched controls (49 men, 56 women) were considered. The results showed that active individuals had better nutritional status with respect to the controls, lower values of %FM and higher muscle mass in the total body, in the arms and, particularly, in the trunk. Runners and tennis players showed lower values of %FM and higher values of muscle mass than Tai Chi subjects, both at the total and the segmental level. Tennis players exhibited the highest values of muscle mass in the total body, and runners in the trunk. Active subjects as a total and in each sport separately were more symmetrical than controls. Finally, the active sample exhibited better body image satisfaction and psychological well-being than controls. In summary, specific BIVA demonstrated to be a suitable tool for monitoring total and segmental body composition changes. The long-term practice of sport positively influences total and segmental body composition, with more accentuated effects among runners and tennis players than Tai Chi subjects. Active men and women were less affected by the age-related process of %FM increase, muscle mass and strength reduction, are more symmetrical and hence are further away from the emergence of sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, risk of falls and frailty. They were also more satisfied about their body image. All this concurs to maintain health and mental well-being and promotes successful ageing

Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis Identifies Body Fat Reduction after a Lifestyle Intervention in Former Elite Athletes

Background: specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) has been proposed as an alternative bioimpedance method for evaluating body composition. This investigation aimed to verify the ability of specific BIVA in identifying changes in fat mass after a 16-week lifestyle program in former athletes. Methods: The 94 participants included in the Champ4life project (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03031951) were randomized into intervention (n = 49) and control (n = 45) groups, from which 82 athletes completed the intervention (age 43.9 ± 9.2 y; body mass index 31.1 ± 4.6 kg/m2). Fat mass was estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bioelectric resistance, reactance, phase angle, and vector length were assessed by bioelectric impedance spectroscopy, and the BIVA procedure was applied. Results: A significant (p < 0.05) group x time interaction for fat mass, specific resistance, reactance, and vector length was found. Fat mass and vector length significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the intervention group, while no change was measured in the control group. Considering the participants as a whole group, changes in vector length were associated with changes in fat mass percentage (r2 = 0.246; β = 0.33; p < 0.001) even after adjusting for age, sex, and group (R2 = 0.373; β = 0.23; p = 0.002). Conclusions: The specific BIVA approach is suitable to track fat mass changes during an intervention program aimed to reduce body fat in former athletes