Differences in muscle synergies between skilled and unskilled athletes in power clean exercise at various loads.

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in muscle synergy between skilled and unskilled participants using various loading conditions for power clean. Nineteen participants (ten skilled and nine unskilled) performed power clean at 60-90% one repetition maximum (1RM), while measured 12 muscles across the entire body. The vertical impulse was calculated for the unweighting associated with the double-knee bend (DKB) manoeuvre in power clean. Muscle synergies were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization. The weighting of muscle synergies was subsequently compared between the two groups for all loads, and confidence intervals were calculated. The number of muscle synergies in both groups was three, and the functions of all muscle synergies were similar. Muscle synergy 1 involved the first pull, muscle synergy 2 involved the transition and the second pull, and muscle synergy 3 involved DKB. No significant difference in either muscle synergy was observed at 60-80% 1RM weight, while the 90% 1RM showed significantly active in the ankle plantar flexor and knee extensor muscles for muscle synergy 3, which involved DKB only in the skilled group. This indicates that increased joint stiffness during DKB may minimize unweighting. Unskilled individuals may acquire such muscle synergies to lift greater weights.

The Validity and Reliability of a Smartphone Application for Break-Point Angle Measurement during Nordic Hamstring Exercise.

Background: A recently developed smartphone application (Nordic Angle) allows the automatic calculation of the break-point angle (BPA) during Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) without transferring the collected data to a computer. The BPA is the point at which the hamstrings are unable to withstand force. However, the validity of the BPA values obtained by this method has not been examined. Hypothesis/Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Nordic Angle by comparing the BPA values of the Nordic Angle with those of two-dimensional motion analysis software that can calculate the angles and angular velocities of various joints. Study Design: Cohort assessing Validity and Reliability. Methods: The validity of the Nordic Angle BPA data was verified by Spearman's correlation test for consistency with the movement analysis data, and the magnitude of the correlation was indicated by rs. The agreement between these measurements was examined using the Bland-Altman analysis. The reliability of the Nordic Angle and motion analysis was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (1,k) based on data from repeated trials within a day. Results: Although the spearman correlation between the Nordic angle and the angle determined using motion analysis did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.052), a very large correlation was present (rs = 0.75). The difference between the mean values of the Nordic Angle and motion analysis was 0.4 ± 2.1°, and the limits of agreement ranged from -3.9° to 4.6°. In two BPA measurements, the Nordic Angle showed perfect reliability (ICC = 1.00, p < 0.001), while motion analysis showed nearly perfect reliability (ICC = 0.97, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Nordic Angle, which has both validity and reliability, may be appropriate for field measurement because it allows immediate feedback of BPA and the measurement of many athletes. Level of evidence: 3b©The Author(s).