The acute influence of amateur boxing on dynamic cerebral autoregulation and cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of head impacts, sustained over the course of three rounds of amateur boxing, on indices of cerebrovascular function. METHODS: Eighteen university amateur boxers (six female) completed three experimental trials in a randomised order; (1) three rounds of boxing (BOX), (2) an equivalent bout of pad boxing (where no blows to the head were sustained; PAD), and (3) a time-matched seated control trial (CON). Indices of cerebrovascular function were determined immediately before and 45 min after each trial. Specifically, dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) was determined by considering the relationship between changes in cerebral blood velocity and mean arterial pressure during 5 min of squat-stand manoeuvres at 0.05 and 0.10 Hz. Cerebrovascular reactivity was determined using serial breath holding and hyperventilation attempts. RESULTS: Participants received an average of 40 ± 16 punches to the head during the BOX trial. Diastolic, mean and systolic dCA phase during squat stand manoeuvres at 0.05 Hz was lower after BOX compared to pre BOX (P ≤ 0.02, effect size (d) ≥ 0.74). No other alterations in dCA outcomes were observed at 0.05 or 0.10 Hz. The number of head impacts received during the BOX trial was associated with the change in systolic phase (r = 0.50, P = 0.03). No differences in cerebrovascular reactivity to breath holding or hyperventilation were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A typical bout of amateur boxing (i.e., three rounds) can subtly alter cerebral pressure-flow dynamics, and the magnitude of this change may be related to head impact exposure.

The effects of nonverbal pride and skill on judgements of victory and social influence: a boxing study.

Displaying nonverbal pride after a boxing match leads to judgements of success. However, it is not clear the extent to which this effect generalises nor whether it can override competing information. An experimental design had 214 participants watch two boxing clips that were manipulated so that one was evenly matched and the other had a fighter with an advantage (i.e. demonstrating more skill). Nonverbal behaviour at the completion of the fight varied between fighters (pride versus neutral). When the fight was evenly matched, the fighters displaying nonverbal pride were judged as winning the fight, but the fighter did not garner increased social influence. In contrast, when fighters demonstrated superior skill, the more skilled fighters who displayed neutral postures rather than the less-skilled ones displaying pride were judged as winning the fight, and the skilled fighters garnered increased social influence. These results suggest that in a boxing context, a pride bias works in evenly matched scenarios, but when differences in skill are more clearly present, a skill bias is more pronounced and leads to more social influence. Furthermore, perceptions of skill were associated with judgments of victory across stimuli, suggesting the importance of skill perceptions in such judgments.

Phase Angle and Body Composition as Predictors of Fitness and Athletic Performance in Adolescent Boxers.

BACKGROUND: Phase angle (PhA) is an indicator of cellular health, function, and integrity. PhA has been considered an indicator of nutritional and health status, but it is uncertain whether it could be used as a fitness or athletic performance indicator. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between PhA and the fitness and athletic performance of adolescent boxers and to know whether this association is independent of body composition. METHODS: Thirty-seven trained youth boxers (15-18 y old) participated in the study. Participants underwent anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance assessments. The following tests were conducted: Fitness-Gram battery; speed, agility, and quickness; ball throws; punch impact force; bench press maximal strength; and vertical and horizontal jumps. Linear regression models were estimated and adjusted by covariates. RESULTS: The PhA was related to upper-limb strength. Nevertheless, in linear regression models, after adjusting models by body composition, only PhA remained as a predictor of relative maximal strength. The PhA was not a predictor of speed, agility, and quickness; cardiorespiratory fitness; or lower-limb power, in which adiposity was the main predictor of fitness. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescent boxers, PhA can predict upper-limb maximal strength independently of bioelectrical impedance analysis premises. However, compared with mucle mass, PhA is not a better predictor of upper-limb maximal strength.

Rehabilitation of hemianopia and visuospatial hemineglect with a mixed intervention including adapted boxing therapy: An exploratory case study.

Visual field loss and visuospatial neglect are frequent consequences of cerebral stroke. They often have a strong impact on independence in many daily activities. Rehabilitation aiming to decrease these disabilities is therefore important, and several techniques have been proposed to foster awareness, compensation, or restitution of the impaired visual field. We here describe a rehabilitation intervention using adapted boxing therapy that was part of a pluridisciplinary intervention tailored for a particular case. A 58-year-old man with left homonymous hemianopia (HH) and mild visuospatial hemineglect participated in 36 sessions of boxing therapy six months after a right temporo-occipital stroke. Repeated stimulation of his blind and neglected hemifield, and training to compensate for his deficits through improved use of his healthy hemifield were performed through boxing exercises. The patient showed a stable HH before the beginning of the training. After six months of boxing therapy, he reported improved awareness of his visual environment. Critically, his HH had evolved to a left superior quadrantanopia and spatial attention for left-sided stimuli had improved. Several cognitive functions and his mood also showed improvement. We conclude that boxing therapy has the potential to improve the compensation of visuospatial impairments in individual patients with visual field loss.

Traumatic encephalopathy syndrome: application of new criteria to a cohort exposed to repetitive head impacts.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the characteristics of those who fulfil the recent National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke (NINDS) Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES) and test whether they show differences in MRI-based regional brain volumes, cognitive domains, and certain plasma biomarkers. METHODS: Professional fighters 35 years of age or older and/or retired were included. Participants were categorised as either having TES (TES+) or not (non-TES). TES+ participants were further subtyped by their cognitive profile. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare MRI-based regional brain volumes, cognitive performance, plasma tau and neurofilament light levels between TES- and TES+ groups. RESULTS: 176 participants (110 boxers and 66 MMA) were included in the analysis. 72 (41%)/176 were categorised as having TES, the likelihood of TES increasing with age. TES+ participants tended to be boxers, started fighting at a younger age, had more professional fights and knocked out more frequently. The TES+ group had lower regional brain volumes including both grey and white matter structures. TES+ also had lower scores on simple and choice reaction time, psychomotor speed and Trails A . CONCLUSION: The new TES criteria does distinguish a group of fighters with differences in regional brain volumes and reduced cognitive function. Our findings support the use of the NINDS criteria for TES in further research of the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts.

Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate supplementation preserves fat-free mass in collegiate boxers during acute body mass loss.

Acute body mass loss before competitions in combat sports usually leads to loss in fat-free mass. Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) has been shown to increase skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength in various muscle wasting conditions. This study investigated the effect of HMB supplementation on body composition and sport-specific performance in well-trained boxers consuming a hypocaloric diet. Twelve male college boxers were divided into the HMB and placebo (PLA) groups using a body weight-matched single-blind parallel design. The study comprised a 6-day weight loss period (days 1-6), followed by a 3-day competition period (days 7-9). The participants in both the groups consumed 16 kcal/kg/day, including 1.6-1.7 g/kg of carbohydrates, 1.2-1.3 g/kg of protein, and 0.45-0.5 g/kg of fat during the 9-day period. The HMB group consumed 3 g/day HMB. Body composition measurement, isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and a simulated boxing match were performed at baseline and on days 7, 8, and 9. Fasting blood samples were collected on the day before day 1 and on days 7, 8, and 9. Body mass was significantly decreased after the 6-day weight loss period (HMB group: baseline: 69.4 ± 11.2 kg, day 7: 67.1 ± 11.2 kg; PLA group: baseline: 68.6 ± 12.1 kg, day 7: 65.7 ± 11.5 kg, P < 0.05) while it was unchanged on the 3-day competition period in both the groups. Fat-free mass in the HMB group was maintained throughout the 9-day period (baseline: 56.7 ± 9.3 kg, day 7: 56.3 ± 8.7 kg, day 9: 55.8 ± 9.5 kg) whereas it significantly decreased on days 7 and 9 compared to the baseline in the PLA group (baseline: 55.2 ± 6.4 kg, day 7: 54.1 ± 6.6 kg, day 9: 54.0 ± 6.6 kg, P < 0.05). In the PLA group, the average and maximal heart rates in round 1 and the average heart rate in round 2 on days 8 and 9 were significantly lower than those at baseline, while these parameters were unchanged in the HMB group. The maximal force and the rate of force development in the IMTP remained unchanged among the different timepoints in both the groups. The blood biochemical parameters were similar at any timepoint between the PLA and HMB groups. HMB supplementation during acute weight loss may preserve fat-free mass and maintain heart rate response in subsequent simulated matches in well-trained boxers. In addition, HMB supplementation had a nonsignificant effect on glucose, fat, and protein metabolism during energy restriction.

Ossification of the posterior capitellum: description of a new pathology and its radiological appearance.

BACKGROUND: Boxer elbow and handball goalkeeper elbow are causes of impingement characterized by osteophytes formation at the olecranon and coronoid tip as well as their corresponding fossae. Herein, we present another distinct pathology in these patients: the formation of an exostosis at the posterolateral aspect of the elbow. METHODS: Between April 2016 and May 2020, 12 athletes with boxer elbow and handball goalkeeper elbow (mean age of 22 years) suffering from elbow pain were enrolled in the present study. Plain radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computer tomography (CT) scans were used to evaluate the bone conformation of the posterolateral aspect of the elbow. Assessment and staging of the ossification was performed by two independent fellowship-trained elbow surgeons. RESULTS: Bone marrow edema of the posterior aspect of the elbow at the origin of the anconeus muscle was initially detected in MRI scans. With the progression of the condition, imaging revealed an ossification posterior to the capitellum with bony bridges. In the advanced stage of the disease, the exostoses was unstable as the ossification had no adherence to the posterior capitellum during surgical excision. Plain radiographs are limited in their ability to detect the condition, whereas MRI and CT scans allow to identify a signal enhancement at the posterolateral aspect of the elbow. CONCLUSION: In patients without history of elbow trauma, bony irregularities of the posterior aspect of the capitellum may indicate ossification of the posterolateral aspect of the elbow, most likely caused by repetitive hyperextensions.

Injury surveillance during elite women's national boxing championship in India.

Background: Injury surveillance is the cornerstone of any prevention program. However the same pertaining to women's boxing is meager. We hence intended to analyse the incidence, pattern and characteristics of injuries in female boxers during the 4th Elite Women's National Boxing Championship, 2019, in India. Methods: A total of 235 female Indian boxers participated in the tournament. Injuries from the competition injury database maintained in accordance with the injury code proposed by the Australian Sports Injury Data Dictionary were compiled to observe the pattern and analysed. The outcomes measured were incidence in terms of injury rate and injury risk and injury pattern in terms of site, nature, mechanism, severity and time of injury. Results: The injury rate was observed to be 43.98 injuries per 1000 athlete bouts of exposure (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.71-54.07) and 293.21 injuries per 1000 athlete hours of competition (95% CI: 225.94-360.47). The most commonly injured site was head, face and neck regions. Most injuries were bruises/contusions followed by cuts and epistaxis. No concussions were reported. Conclusion: This study observed that women are less prone to injuries than their male counterparts, even though a logical comparison is difficult because of the lack of data and standardization in women's boxing.

Neuromuscular characteristics during weight loss in a professional boxer: a case study.

It is important to understand the effects of rapid changes in weight on neuromuscular functions of combat athletes. The purpose of this case study was to investigate time-course changes in muscle strength, muscle size, and neural input during rapid weight loss in a professional boxer. One professional male boxer (26 yr) participated in two matches during measurements: welterweight (66.6 kg; weight loss: WL) and super welterweight (69.85 kg; control: CON). His muscle contraction properties and body composition were measured from 6 wk (baseline) before the matches to 1 wk after them. Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension torque, muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) of the vastus lateralis using ultrasound, and high-density surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis during submaximal ramp-up contraction were measured. Individual motor units were identified, and modified discharge rates were calculated from a regression line between the recruitment threshold and discharge rates at 60%-70% of maximum torque according to the baseline value. His body weights for WL and CON decreased from 70.80 and 71.42 kg at the baseline to 68.75 and 71.36 kg immediately before the matches, respectively. Muscle strength changed little for either match. For WL, skeletal muscle mass and mCSA decreased, but there was no decrease for CON. The modified motor unit discharge rate for WL increased immediately before the match compared with other periods but did not change for CON. After rapid weight loss, neural input increased to compensate for lost muscle mass, and muscle strength was maintained.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This case study found that neural input to muscle, which was evaluated by high-density surface electrocardiography, increased to compensate for the decline of body weight and muscle mass and to maintain muscle strength during rapid weight loss, while neuromuscular characteristics were not markedly changed during no significant weight loss.

Quantifying head impacts and neurocognitive performance in collegiate boxers.

Head impacts and neurocognition were quantified in 27 intercollegiate male boxers engaged in two, two-minute sparring rounds. Head impacts were measured using Instrumented Boxing Headgear (IBH). Pre and post-sparring neurocognitive performance was compared using two computerized neuropsychological test batteries (CNTs): Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT™) and Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics - Military Battery (ANAM4® MIL). An average of 27.63 ± 17.87 impacts above the 9.6 g IBH threshold were recorded per boxer, with average peak linear acceleration of 23.48 ± 15.20 g and average peak rotational acceleration of 1761.40 ± 1064.34 rad/s2. Small, but measurable declines in delayed memory and improvement in response time from pre- to post-bout were noted. Number of impacts and concussion history predicted degraded memory performance. This is a unique quantification of head impacts in collegiate boxing, which were similar in frequency and location, but lower in magnitude as compared to amateur boxing. Improved understanding of impact kinematics may enhance safety in boxing and other contact sports. Subtle post-bout decrements in delayed memory performance and mild improvement in response time reinforce prior research and provide evidence of congruence in our two CNT assessments, which may facilitate comparisons of outcomes across settings utilizing these tests.

Hand Carpometacarpal Joint Instability in Elite Boxers: Injury Characteristics, Surgical Technique, and Outcomes.

PURPOSE: We describe a single-surgeon's experience of managing hand carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) instability in elite boxers, focusing on injury characteristics, surgical technique, and outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort included consecutive elite boxers undergoing surgery for hand CMCJ instability from 2009 to 2021. CMC joint instability is usually clear on clinical examination using a 'seesaw' test. All cases had a plain radiograph and in equivocal cases for instability advanced imaging such as MRI or ultrasound scan. CMCJs were accessed via longitudinal incisions between index/middle rays, and additionally ring/little. Often marked deficiency in the CMCJ ligamentous capsule was seen. The articular surfaces were decorticated to cancellous bone and autogenous bone graft impacted. The CMCJs were fixed in extension using various methods, latterly memory staples. Outcomes included radiographic fusion, return to boxing, and complications. RESULTS: Forty hands had surgery in 38 boxers. In total, 101 CMCJs were fused, with an average of 2.5 joints per patient. Patients were mainly young (mean age 24.1 years), male (37/38) with the trailing hand more commonly affected (trailing hand 87.5%, leading hand 12.5%). The most frequently fused CMCJ was the index (97.5%, n = 39), then middle (95%, n = 38), ring (45%, n = 18), and little (15%, n = 6). There were 82% (31/38) of patients who returned to the same level of boxing at a median of 8 months from surgery (range 3-27 months). Three patients had revision surgery for non-union, a median of 10.3 months after initial surgery (range 9.4-133.1 months): 2 for index/middle and one for the little CMCJ. All 3 revisions fused and the patients returned to boxing at the same level, although the little CMCJ required a second bone graft and fixation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients can achieve full recovery after treatment of CMCJ instability, and most can return to boxing at the same level with little risk of complications. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Longitudinal observational study of boxing therapy in Parkinson's disease, including adverse impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a highly prevalent neurodegenerative disease whose incidence is increasing with an aging population. One of the most serious manifestations of PD is gait instability, leading to falls and subsequent complications that can be debilitating, even fatal. Boxing therapy (BT) uses gait and balance exercises to improve ambulation in people with PD, though its efficacy has not yet been fully proven. METHODS: In the current longitudinal observational study, 98 participants with idiopathic PD underwent twice-weekly BT sessions. Primary outcome was self-reported falls per month; secondary outcomes were quantitative and semi-quantitative gait and balance performance evaluations. Statistical methods included segmented generalized estimating equation with an independent correlation structure, binomial distribution, and log link. RESULTS: The average number of self-reported falls per month per participant decreased by 87%, from 0.86 ± 3.58 prior to BT, to 0.11 ± 0.26 during BT. During the lockdown imposed by COVID-19, this increased to 0.26 ± 0.48 falls per month. Females and those > 65 years old reported the greatest increase in falls during the lockdown period. Post-lockdown resumption of BT resulted in another decline in falls, to 0.14 ± 0.33. Quantitative performance metrics, including standing from a seated position and standing on one leg, largely mirrored the pattern of falls pre-and post-lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: BT may be an effective option for many PD patients.

Injury incidence, severity and profile in Olympic combat sports: a comparative analysis of 7712 athlete exposures from three consecutive Olympic Games.

OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare the epidemiology of competition injuries in unarmed combat sports (ie, boxing, judo, taekwondo and wrestling) in three consecutive Olympic Games. METHODS: Prospective cohort study using injury data from the IOC injury surveillance system and exposure data from official tournament records at three consecutive Olympic Games (ie, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016). Competition injury incidence rates per 1000 min of exposure (IIRME) were calculated with 95% CIs using standard formulae for Poisson rates. RESULTS: The overall IIRME was 7.8 (95% CI 7.0 to 8.7). The IIRME in judo (9.6 (95% CI 7.8 to 11.7)), boxing (9.2 (95% CI 7.6 to 10.9)) and taekwondo (7.7 (95% CI 5.6 to 10.5)) were significantly higher than in wrestling (4.8 (95% CI 3.6 to 6.2)). The proportion of injuries resulting in >7 days absence from competition or training was higher in wrestling (39.6%), judo (35.9%) and taekwondo (32.5%) than in boxing (21.0%). There was no difference in injury risk by sex, weight category or tournament round, but athletes that lost had significantly higher IIRME compared with their winning opponents (rate ratio 3.59 (95% CI 2.68 to 4.79)). CONCLUSION: Olympic combat sport athletes sustained, on average, one injury every 2.1 hours of competition. The risk of injury was significantly higher in boxing, judo and taekwondo than in wrestling. About 30% of injuries sustained during competition resulted in >7 days absence from competition or training. There is a need for identifying modifiable risk factors for injury in Olympic combat sports, which in turn can be targeted by injury prevention initiatives to reduce the burden of injury among combat sport athletes.

Punch Trackers: Correct Recognition Depends on Punch Type and Training Experience.

To determine the ability of different punch trackers (PT) (Corner (CPT), Everlast (EPT), and Hykso (HPT)) to recognize specific punch types (lead and rear straight punches, lead and rear hooks, and lead and rear uppercuts) thrown by trained (TR, n = 10) and untrained punchers (UNTR, n = 11), subjects performed different punch combinations, and PT data were compared to data from video recordings to determine how well each PT recognized the punches that were actually thrown. Descriptive statistics and multilevel modelling were used to analyze the data. The CPT, EPT and HPT detected punches more accurately in TR than UNTR, evidenced by a lower percentage error in TR (p = 0.007). The CPT, EPT, and HPT detected straight punches better than uppercuts and hooks, with a lower percentage error for straight punches (p < 0.001). The recognition of punches with CPT and HPT depended on punch order, with earlier punches in a sequence recognized better. The same may or may not have occurred with EPT, but EPT does not allow for data to be exported, meaning the order of individual punches could not be analyzed. The CPT and HPT both seem to be viable options for tracking punch count and punch type in TR and UNTR.

Application of a Validated Innovative Smart Wearable for Performance Analysis by Experienced and Non-Experienced Athletes in Boxing.

An athlete's sporting performance depends to a large extent on the technical execution of the athletic motion in order to achieve maximum effectiveness in physical performance. Performance analysis provides an important means of classifying and quantifying athletic prowess in terms of the significant performance aspects of the sport to provide objective feedback. This study aimed to analyze technical execution in terms of punch trajectory, force, velocity and time, considering the expert-novice paradigm by investigating the technical execution of 31 experienced and non-experienced athletes for the four main punching techniques of the cross, jab, uppercut and hook strike. The kinetic and kinematic data were collected by means of a boxing monitoring system developed and validated for in-field use. The research revealed significant correlation for executed punching trajectory and punch force in intragroup comparison and significant differences in intergroup comparison. No significant differences were detected for punch velocity in either inter- or intra-group paradigms. This study, through use of the sensor system, aligns with the results of existing publications conducted in laboratory conditions, in the assessment of punch force, punch speed and punch time and thus extends the state of research by use of a smart wearable in field method.

Validation of a Unique Boxing Monitoring System.

Much development work and scientific research has been conducted in recent years in the field of detecting human activity and the measurement of biomechanical performance parameters using portable sensor technologies, so-called wearable systems. Despite the fact that boxers participating in one of the most vigorous and complex disciplines of all sports, it is one of the disciplines where no noteworthy, advanced performance analytic tools are used for training or for competition purposes worldwide. This research aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive punch performance sensor system for the measurement and analysis of biomechanical parameters in the sport of boxing. A comprehensive validation study on linear regression was conducted following the development of the sensor system, between the gold standard of a Kistler force plate and Vicon motion capture system, to compare sensor-derived measurements with the gold standard-derived measurements. The developed sensor system demonstrated high accuracies ranging from R2 = 0.97 to R2 = 0.99 for punch force, acceleration, velocity and punch-time data. The validation experiments conducted demonstrated the significant accuracy of the sensor-derived measurements for predicting boxing-specific biomechanical movement parameters while punching in field use. Thus, this paper presents a unique sensor system for comprehensive measurements of biomechanical parameters using the developed mobile measurement system in the field of combat sports.

Validation of a Novel Boxing Monitoring System to Detect and Analyse the Centre of Pressure Movement on the Boxer's Fist.

The examination of force distribution and centre of pressure (CoP) displacement is a common method to analyse motion, load, and load distribution in biomechanical research. In contrast to gait analysis, the force progression in boxing punches is a new field of investigation. The centre of pressure displacement and distribution of forces on the surface of the fist during a boxing punch is of great interest and crucial to understanding the effect of the punch on the biological structures of the hand as well as the technical biomechanical aspects of the punching action. This paper presents a new method to display the CoP progression on the boxer's fist Therefore, this study presents the validation of the developed novel boxing monitoring system in terms of CoP displacement. In addition, the CoP progression of different punching techniques in boxing is analysed on the athlete's fist. The accuracy of the examination method of the CoP course was validated against the gold standard of a Kistler force plate. High correlations were detected between the developed sensor system and the force plate CoP with a Pearson correlation coefficient ranging from 0.93 to 0.97. The information obtained throughout the experimental study is of great importance in order to gain further knowledge into the technical execution of boxing punches as well as to provide a novel measuring method for determining CoP on the surface of the fist, to improve the understanding of the etiology of boxing-related hand injuries.

Co-opting Laws to Influence Prevailing Medical and Legal Thinking: "Off-Label" Conceptual Use of One-Punch Laws and Boxing.

The law shapes the disposition and actions of persons, and what is acceptable and ethical in a community. However, laws in society can potentially be co-opted to influence medical and legal thought in other areas, using an "off-label" conceptual interpretation. For example, medical authorities have recognised the dangers of blows to the head in boxing, with some being fatal. Elsewhere, recent criminal law target assaults causing death by one punch. These laws, alongside coronial inquests, can be helpful in shifting the outlook on boxing, its risks, and fatalities. The cause of both forms of deaths usually involves traumatic brain injuries. This article analyses the contexts surrounding one-punch laws, and some legal proceedings and coroners' inquests, to seek alternative perspectives and the medical and ethical implications of such laws. The discussions also refer to legislation, and socio-legal and medical ethics debates in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.

Scapular Dyskinesis in Elite Boxers with Neck Disability and Shoulder Malfunction.

Background and Objectives: Neck and shoulder injuries commonly occur during boxing, and scapular dyskinesis is related to those injuries. This study investigated scapular dyskinesis with neck disability and shoulder malfunction in elite boxers. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two elite boxers participated in this study. Scapular dyskinesis was evaluated as normal, subtle, and obvious. Neck disability index (NDI), shoulder internal (IR), and external (ER) range of motion (ROM), isometric strength of IR and ER, and pectoralis minor length were measured and compared with the severity of scapular dyskinesis. Results: Thirty-eight boxers (52.7%) showed scapular dyskinesis. NDI score was significantly different (normal = 3.89 ± 3.08, obvious = 7.36 ± 4.95, p = 0.025). Isometric IR strength was significantly different (normal = 10.48 ± 2.86, obvious = 8.46 ± 1.74, p = 0.01). The length of the pectoralis minor was significantly different (normal = 10.17 ± 0.67, subtle = 9.87 ± 0.79, obvious = 9.47 ± 0.85; p = 0.001), and the dominant and non-dominant arm IR ROM was significantly different (dominant = 57.43 ± 11.98, non-dominant = 64.62 ± 10.3, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of scapular dyskinesis is high among elite boxers. Boxers with scapular dyskinesis presented shoulder malfunction as well as neck disability. Further investigation is necessary to examine the relationship between scapular dyskinesis and neck disability in boxers.

The Test-Retest Reliability of Bilateral and Unilateral Force Plate-Derived Parameters of the Countermovement Push-Up in Elite Boxers.

CONTEXT: Maximal power describes the ability to immediately produce power with the maximal velocity at the point of release, impact, and/or take off-the greater an athlete's ability to produce maximal power, the greater the improvement of athletic performance. In reference to boxing performance, regular consistent production of high muscular power during punching is considered an essential prerequisite. Despite the importance of upper limb power to athletic performance, presently, there is no gold standard test for upper limb force development performance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the test-retest reliability of the force plate-derived measures of countermovement push-up in elite boxers. DESIGN: Test-retest design. SETTING: High Performance Olympic Training Center. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen elite Olympic boxers (age = 23 [3] y; height = 1.68 [0.39] m; body mass = 70.0 [17] kg). INTERVENTION: Participants performed 5 repetitions of countermovement push-up trials on FD4000 Forcedeck dual force platforms on 2 separate test occasions 7 days apart. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak force, mean force, flight time, rate of force development, impulse, and vertical stiffness of the bilateral and unilateral limbs from the force-time curve. RESULTS: No significant differences between the 2 trial occasions for any of the derived bilateral or unilateral performance measures. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated moderate to high reliability for performance parameters (intraclass correlation coefficients = .68-.98) and low coefficient of variation (3%-10%) apart from vertical stiffness (coefficient of variation = 16.5%-25%). Mean force demonstrated the greatest reliability (coefficient of variation = 3%). In contrast, no significant differences (P < .001) were noted between left and right limbs (P = .005-.791), or between orthodox or southpaw boxing styles (P = .19-.95). CONCLUSION: Force platform-derived kinetic bilateral and unilateral parameters of countermovement push-up are reliable measures of upper limb power performance in elite-level boxers; results suggest unilateral differences within the bilateral condition are not the norm for an elite boxing cohort.