Physiological responses between players with and without spinal cord injury in wheelchair basketball small-sided games.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a comparative study between players with and without spinal cord injury (SCI) during a training task. OBJECTIVE: This study examined physiological responses in commonly used small-sided games (SSGs) in well-experienced wheelchair basketball (WB) players with SCI and without SCI (Non-SCI). SETTING: The study was conducted with a WB team in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain (2014). METHODS: The team was divided into an SCI group (n=6) and a Non-SCI group (n=6). Absolute and relative heart rate (HR) along with tympanic temperature and perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded for both groups. RESULTS: The two groups attained different absolute HR values for the same SSG. However, no significant differences were observed in relative HR between groups (%HRmean, %HRpeak and the percentage of the time spent in each HR zone: low, moderate, high and maximal) nor in tympanic temperature. Moreover, in relation to the bout evolution analysis (4 repetitions of 4 min), the Non-SCI group significantly increased (P<0.05) absolute HRmean and HRpeak during bouts, whereas the SCI group maintained them constant. Furthermore, the variations in the percentage of the time spent in each HR zone only were observed in the Non-SCI group. CONCLUSION: In spite of the Non-SCI group attaining higher absolute HR values, the SCI and Non-SCI groups may have similar HR relative values during a specific WB training task. However, the SCI group reported significantly higher values in respiratory RPE in the last bout than the Non-SCI group for the same SSG.

Change of direction ability test differentiates higher level and lower level soccer referees.

This report examines the agility and level of acceleration capacity of Spanish soccer referees and investigates the possible differences between field referees of different categories. The speed test consisted of 3 maximum acceleration stretches of 15 metres. The change of direction ability (CODA) test used in this study was a modification of the Modified Agility Test (MAT). The study included a sample of 41 Spanish soccer field referees from the Navarre Committee of Soccer Referees divided into two groups: i) the higher level group (G1, n = 20): 2ndA, 2ndB and 3rd division referees from the Spanish National Soccer League (28.43 ± 1.39 years); and ii) the lower level group (G2, n = 21): Navarre Provincial League soccer referees (29.54 ± 1.87 years). Significant differences were found with respect to the CODA between G1 (5.72 ± 0.13 s) and G2 (6.06 ± 0.30 s), while no differences were encountered between groups in acceleration ability. No significant correlations were obtained in G1 between agility and the capacity to accelerate. Significant correlations were found between sprint and agility times in the G2 and in the total group. The results of this study showed that agility can be used as a discriminating factor for differentiating between national and regional field referees; however, no observable differences were found over the 5 and 15 m sprint tests.

Bilateral and unilateral vertical ground reaction forces and leg asymmetries in soccer players.

The purposes of this study were to assess unilateral and bilateral vertical jump performance characteristics, and to compare the vertical ground reaction force characteristics of the impulse and landing phase of a vertical jump between the dominant and non-dominant leg in soccer players. The sample consisted of 20 male soccer players (22.80 ± 2.71 years, 1.88 ± 0.06 m, 76.47 ± 8.80 kg) who competed in the third division of the Spanish football league. Vertical jump performance was determined by testing the impulse and landing phase of a bilateral vertical jump, dominant leg vertical jump and non-dominant leg vertical jump. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between dominant and non-dominant legs were found in counter movement jump (CMJ) flight time (LA = -2.38%, d = 0.33), CMJ flight height (LA = -4.55%, d = 0.33) and CMJ speed take-off (LA = -2.91%, d = 0.42). No significant differences were found between the dominant and non-dominant leg in the F1 and F2 magnitudes during the landing phase, the time from the first contact of the foot with the ground to the production of F1, the time from the second contact of the foot with the ground to the production of F2, and the time to stabilization of the landing phase. Although differences were found between the dominant and non-dominant leg in the impulse phase of the jump, no significant differences were found between dominant and non-dominant legs in the landing phase of vertical jump variables.

Sprint, agility, strength and endurance capacity in wheelchair basketball players.

The aims of the present study were, firstly, to determine the reliability and reproducibility of an agility T-test and Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test; and secondly, to analyse the physical characteristics measured by sprint, agility, strength and endurance field tests in wheelchair basketball (WB) players. 16 WB players (33.06 ± 7.36 years, 71.89 ± 21.71 kg and sitting body height 86.07 ± 6.82 cm) belonging to the national WB league participated in this study. Wheelchair sprint (5 and 20 m without ball, and 5 and 20 m with ball) agility (T-test and pick-up test) strength (handgrip and maximal pass) and endurance (Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test) were performed. T-test and Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test showed good reproducibility values (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.74-0.94). The WB players' results in 5 and 20 m sprints without a ball were 1.87 ± 0.21 s and 5.70 ± 0.43 s and with a ball 2.10 ± 0.30 s and 6.59 ± 0.61 s, being better than those reported in the literature. Regarding the pick-up test results (16.05 ± 0.52 s) and maximal pass (8.39 ± 1.77 m), players showed worse values than those obtained in elite players. The main contribution of the present study is the characterization of the physical performance profile of WB players using a field test battery. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the agility T-test and the aerobic Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test are reliable; consequently they may be appropriate instruments for measuring physical fitness in WB.

Jump landing characteristics in elite soccer players with cerebral palsy.

The aim of the present study was to analyse the parameters that characterize the vertical ground reaction force during the landing phase of a jump, and to determine the relationship among these parameters in elite soccer players with cerebral palsy (CP). Thirteen male members of the Spanish national soccer team for people with CP (mean age: 27.1 ± 4.7 years) volunteered for the study. Each participant performed three counter movement jumps. The characteristics of the first peak of the vertical ground reaction force during the landing phase of a jump, which corresponds to the forefoot contact with the ground, were similar to the results obtained in previous studies. However, a higher magnitude of rearfoot contact with the ground (F2) was observed in participants with CP than in participants without CP. Furthermore, a significant correlation between F2 magnitude and the elapsed time until its production (T2) was not observed (r = -0.474 for p = 0.102). This result implies that a landing technique based on a delay in the production of F2 might not be effective to reduce its magnitude, contrary to what has been observed in participants without CP. The absence of a significant correlation between these two parameters in the present study, and the high magnitude of F2, suggest that elite soccer players with CP should use footwear with proper cushioning characteristics.