A qualitative screening tool to identify athletes with ‘high-risk’ movement mechanics during cutting: The cutting movement assessment score (CMAS)

Objective To assess the validity of the cutting movement assessment score (CMAS) to estimate the magnitude of peak knee abduction moments (KAM) against three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis, while comparing whole-body kinetics and kinematics between subjects of low (bottom 33%) and high CMASs (top 33%). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Laboratory. Participants Forty-one participants (soccer, rugby, netball, and cricket). Main outcome measures Association between peak KAM and CMAS during a 90° cut. Comparison of 3D whole-body kinetics and kinematics between subjects with low (bottom 33%) and high CMASs (top 33%). Results A very large significant relationship (ρ = 0.796, p < 0.001) between CMAS and peak KAM was observed. Subjects with higher CMASs displayed higher-risk cutting postures, including greater peak knee abduction angles, internal foot progression angles, and lateral foot plant distances (p ≤ 0.032, effect size = 0.83–1.64). Additionally, greater cutting multiplanar knee joint loads (knee flexion, internal rotation, and abduction moments) were demonstrated by subjects with higher CMASs compared to lower (p ≤ 0.047, effect size = 0.77–2.24). Conclusion The CMAS is a valid qualitative screening tool for evaluating cutting movement quality and is therefore a potential method to identify athletes who generate high KAMs and “high-risk” side-step cutting mechanics

Effect of different onset thresholds on isometric midthigh pull force-time variables

Various thresholds have been used to identify the onset of contraction during isometric midthigh pull (IMTP); however, no agreed onset threshold exists for this assessment. The purpose of this study was to compare relative body weight (BW) and arbitrary onset thresholds to a criterion onset threshold 5 SDs of BW for IMTP force-time variables; force at each threshold, peak force, time-specific force values (100, 150, and 200 ms), and rate of force development (RFD) during 0–100, 0–150, 0–200 ms. Academy rugby league players (n = 9, age: 18.5 6 0.4 years; height: 1.82 6 0.09 m; mass: 91.2 6 13.1 kg) performed 2 IMTP trials on a force platform sampling at 1,000 Hz. The neutral force-time data pool (18 trials) was analyzed with five different thresholds and compared with criterion threshold to determine any variance in force-time variables. Five SDs of BW were significantly lower than 10% BW and 75 N for threshold force which led to significantly greater time-specific force values at 100 and 150 ms and unacceptable limits of agreements (LOA) for all force-time variables. No significant differences (p . 0.05) were observed between 2.5% and 5 SDs of BW; and between 5% and 5 SDs of BW for threshold force and all force-time variables with acceptable LOA. The 5 SDs of BW and 2.5% BW onset thresholds consistently resulted in the lowest values for threshold force, time-specific force values, and RFD, attributed to a lower onset bias. Therefore, scientists and practitioners are recommended to use a 5 SD of BW onset threshold for time-specific force values and RFD for accurate data because it accounts for signal noise during the weighing period. Subsequently, there is greater certainty that the onset of contraction identifies a true meaningful change in force, in contrast to relative BW thresholds

Biomechanical determinants of knee joint loads associated with increased anterior cruciate ligament loading during cutting : a systematic review and technical framework

Background: Cutting actions are associated with non-contact ACL injuries in multidirectional sports due to the propensity to generate large multiplanar knee joint loads (KJLs) that have the capacity to increase ACL loading and strain. Numerous studies have investigated the biomechanical determinants of KJLs in cutting tasks. The aim of this systematic review was to comprehensively review the literature regarding biomechanical determinants of KJLs during cutting, in order to develop a cutting technical framework alongside training recommendations for practitioners regarding KJL mitigation. Methods: Databases (SPORTDiscus, Web of Science and PubMed) were systematically searched using a combination of the following terms: “Biomechanical determinants”, or “Knee abduction moment”, or “Technical determinants”, or “Knee loading”, or “Knee loads”, or “Mechanical determinants”, or “ACL strain”, or “Knee adduction moment”, or “Anterior tibial shear”, or “Knee internal rotation moment”, or “Knee valgus moment” AND “Change of direction”, or “Cutting manoeuvre”, or “Run and cut”, or “Run-and-cut”, or “Sidestepping”, or “Side-stepping”, or “Shuttle run”. Inclusion criteria were as follows: studies examining a cutting task < 110° with a preceding approach run that examined biomechanical determinants of KJLs using three-dimensional motion analysis. Results: The search returned 6404 possibly eligible articles, and 6 identified through other sources. Following duplicate removal, 4421 titles and abstracts were screened, leaving 246 full texts to be screened for inclusion. Twenty-three full texts were deemed eligible for inclusion and identified numerous determinants of KJLs; 11 trunk, 11 hip, 7 knee, 3 multiplanar KJLs, 5 foot/ankle and 7 identifying ground reaction forces (GRFs) as determinants of KJLs. Conclusion: Using the framework developed from the results, cutting KJLs can be mitigated through the following: reducing lateral foot-plant distances, thus lowering hip abduction and orientating the foot closer to neutral with a mid-foot or forefoot placement strategy; minimising knee valgus and hip internal rotation angles and motion at initial contact (IC) and weight acceptance (WA); avoiding and limiting lateral trunk flexion and attempt to maintain an upright trunk position or trunk lean into the intended direction; and finally, reducing GRF magnitude during WA, potentially by attenuation through increased knee flexion and emphasising a greater proportion of braking during the penultimate foot contact (PFC)

The effect of angle on change of direction biomechanics : comparison and inter-task relationships

The aim of this was study to examine the inter-task relationships and compare change of direction (COD) biomechanics between different angles (45°, 90°, and 180°). Twenty-seven men performed three COD tasks, whereby lower-limb and trunk kinematics and kinetics were assessed via 3D motion and ground reaction force (GRF) analysis. Key mechanical differences (p ≤ 0.025, η2 = 0.024–0.940) in velocity profiles, GRF, sagittal joint angles and moments, multiplanar knee joint moments, and technical parameters existed between CODs. The primary findings were that as COD angle increased, velocity profiles decreased (p < 0.001, d = 1.56–8.96), ground contact times increased (p < 0.001, d = 3.00–5.04), vertical GRF decreased (p < 0.001, d = 0.87–3.48), and sagittal peak knee joint moments decreased (p ≤ 0.040, d = 0.62–2.73). Notably, the greatest peak knee internal rotation (KIRMs) and abduction moments (KAMs) and angles were observed during the 90° COD (p < 0.001, d = 0.88–1.81), indicating that this may be the riskiest COD angle. Small to very large (r = 0.260–0.702) associations in KAMs and KIRMs were observed between tasks, indicating that evaluations at different angles are needed to develop an athlete’s biomechanical injury risk profile. The results support the concept that COD biomechanics and potential surrogates of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury risk are “angle-dependent”; which have important implications for COD coaching, screening, and physical preparation

The 10/5 repeated jumps test : are 10 repetitions and three trials necessary?

The purpose of this study was to identify whether ten repetitions and three trials were necessary to achieve stability in peak reactive strength index (RSI) during the 10/5 repeated jumps test (RJT). Twenty-five males, from multiple sports, performed three trials of the RJT on an in-ground force plate, with 90 seconds’ rest between trials. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC = 0.916−0.986) and coefficients of variation (CV ≤ 14.5%) were considered acceptable for all variables. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and Freidman’s tests revealed large and significant differences (p ≤ 0.006, η2 = 0.159−0.434, power ≥ 0.859) in ground contact time (GCT), jump height (JH), and subsequently RSI both between trials and repetitions. Pairwise comparisons revealed that repetitions 1−3 produced longer GCTs (p ≤ 0.05, d = 0.41−1.40), lower JHs (p ≤ 0.05, d = 0.31−0.56), and lower RSI values (p ≤ 0.05, d = 0.35−1.24). The shortest GCTs, greatest JHs and greater RSIs occurred between repetitions 7 and 10, with approximately 60% of peak RSIs occurring during these ranges. The sequential estimate technique revealed that seven repetitions were needed to attain stability in mean peak RSI. Non-significant (p = 0.554) and negligible differences (d ≤ 0.09) in the five best RSIs between trials were noted. One trial of the 10/5 RJT is sufficient to evaluate peak RSI in athletes and should reduce data collection time and fatigue

Countermovement jump force−time curve analysis between strength-matched male and female soccer players

The purpose of this study was to compare countermovement jump force−time measures between strength-matched male and female soccer players. Males (n = 11) and females (n = 11) were strength-matched via isometric mid-thigh pull testing, whereby peak force values were normalised to body mass. Subjects performed three maximal-effort countermovement jumps (CMJs) on a force platform from which a range of kinetic and kinematic variables were calculated via forward dynamics. Thereafter, differences in gross measures were examined via independent t-tests, while differences in force−, power−, velocity−, and displacement−time curves throughout the entire CMJ were analysed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Jump height, reactive strength index modified, propulsion mean force, propulsion impulse, and propulsion mean velocity were all greater for males (d = 1.50 to 3.07). Relative force− and velocity−time curves were greater for males at 86−93% (latter half of the concentric phase) and 85−100% (latter half of the concentric phase) of normalized movement time, respectively. Time to take-off, braking phase time, braking mean velocity and impulse, propulsion phase time and centre of mass displacement were similar between males and females (d = −0.23 to 0.97). This research demonstrates the strength of SPM to identify changes between entire force-time curves. Continued development and the use of SPM analysis could present the opportunity for a refined comparison of strength-matched male and female CMJ performance with the analysis of entire force−time curves

A comparison of isometric midthigh-pull strength, vertical jump, sprint speed, and change-of-direction speed in academy netball players

© 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc. Purpose: To investigate the relationships between maximal isometric strength, vertical jump (VJ), sprint speed, and change-of-direction speed (CoDS) in academy netball players and determine whether players who have high performance in isometric strength testing would demonstrate superior performance in VJ, sprint speed, and CoDS measures. Method: Twenty-six young female netball players (age 16.1 ± 1.2 y, height 173.9 ± 5.7 cm, body mass 66.0 ± 7.2 kg) from a regional netball academy performed isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), squat jumps (SJs), countermovement jumps (CMJs), 10-m sprints, and CoDS (505). Results: IMTP measures displayed moderate to strong correlations with sprint and CoDS performance (r = –.41 to –.66). The VJs, which included SJs and CMJs, demonstrated strong correlations with 10-m sprint times (r = –.60 to –.65; P < .01) and CoDS (r = –.60 to –.71; P = .01). Stronger players displayed significantly faster sprint (ES = 1.1–1.2) and CoDS times (ES = 1.2–1.7) and greater VJ height (ES = 0.9–1.0) than weaker players. Conclusion: The results of this study illustrate the importance of developing high levels of lower-body strength to enhance VJ, sprint, and CoDS performance in youth netball players, with stronger athletes demonstrating superior VJ, sprint, and CoDS performances

Normalization of early isometric force production as a percentage of peak force during multijoint isometric assessment

Purpose: To determine the reliability of early force production (50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, 250 ms) relative to peak force (PF) during an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) and assess the relationships between these variables. Methods: Male collegiate athletes (n = 29; age: 21.1 ± 2.9 years; height: 1.71 ± 0.07 m; body mass: 71.3 ± 13.6 kg) performed IMTPs during two separate testing sessions. Net PF and net force produced at each epoch were calculated. Within- and between-session reliability were determined by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV%). Additionally, Pearson’s correlation coefficients and coefficient of determination, were calculated to examine the relationships between PF and time-specific force production. Results: Net PF and time-specific force demonstrated very high to almost perfect reliability both within- and between-sessions (ICCs 0.82-0.97; CV% 0.35-1.23%). Similarly, time-specific force expressed as a percentage of PF demonstrated very high to almost perfect reliability both within- and between-sessions (ICCs 0.76-0.86; CV% 0.32-2.51%). Strong to nearly perfect relationships (r = 0.615-0.881) exist between net PF and time-specific net force, with relationships improving over longer epochs. Conclusion: Based on the smallest detectable difference, a change in force at 50 ms expressed relative to PF >10% and early force production (100-, 150-, 200- and 250 ms) expressed relative to PF of >2% should be considered meaningful. Expressing early force production as a percentage of PF is reliable and may provide greater insight into the adaptations to the previous training phase than PF alone

Change of direction asymmetry across different age categories in youth soccer

Background In youth, the development of change of direction (COD) and sprint performance is a key component for successfully competing in soccer across age. During a COD, the presence of directional asymmetries may be detrimental due to the unpredictable nature of the sport. Therefore, the aims of the study were to investigate asymmetries in COD ability and to examine the differences in COD and sprint performance across age in young soccer players. Methods Sixty-eight sub-elite soccer players of different age categories (U18, U17, U16, U15) were tested on a 10-m linear sprint test and 90°COD (5-m entry and exit) test in both directions. Asymmetric index (AI) of COD deficit was obtained for dominant (fastest) and non-dominant directions (slowest). Results The results showed that U16 were more asymmetrical than U18, U17, and U15 from large to moderate effects. The sprint time improved linearly across age with U18 and U15 displaying the fastest and slowest 10-m sprint performance (p 0.05). Conclusion Given the results of this study, practitioners are encouraged to assess asymmetries between dominant and non-dominant directions rather than solely players’ COD ability in young soccer players

Physical profiles of female academy netball players by position

Copyright © 2017 National Strength and Conditioning Association. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the height, body mass, and physical characteristics of female academy netball players by position (centers, defenders, and shooters). Data were collected on 43 regional academy players during the preseason period and comprising height, body mass, and physical characteristics (single-leg hop [SLH], squat jump [SJ], countermovement jump [CMJ], 5- and 10-m sprint, 505 change of direction speed and cardiorespiratory fitness). Defenders and shooters demonstrated significantly (p # 0.05; d 1.1) greater body mass compared with centers. Defenders demonstrated significantly (p # 0.05; d = 1.6) greater height compared with centers; however, no significant differences were noted between centers and shooters (p = 0.19; d = 0.7) and defenders and shooters (p = 0.70; d = 0.5). Centers performed better during the SLH left leg (p = 0.01; d = 1.0), SJ (p = 0.03; d = 1.1), CMJ (p = 0.01; d = 1.4), 5-m (p = 0.04; d 20.9) and 10-m sprint (p = 0.01; d = 21.2), 505 left (p # 0.03; d 1.0), 505 right (p # 0.03; d = 1.3), and cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.01; d 1.2) compared with other positions. No other significant differences were observed. These findings demonstrate that height, body mass, and physical characteristics differ between positions in female netball players and provide normative data for English academy netball players. Strength and conditioning coaches should consider the specific demands on individual positions when training female netball players