Anterior cruciate ligament injury profile in female elite Italian basketball league.

BACKGROUND: In female basketball athletes anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is the most frequent lower limb injury. Because it is very difficult to get a clear picture of the risk inherent in elite female Italian basketball players, we designed an observational study with a retrospective case-series design with the aim to investigate the incidence of ACL injury in elite Italian basketball league. METHODS: Thirty-two professional female basketball teams (N.=352 players) participated to the study. Using a retrospective questionnaire for ACL injury data collection players had to report their demographic, training and occurred injuries data. RESULTS: A total of 74 ACL lesions were reported with 65 basketball players (18.4%) that had a complete rupture with surgical intervention. Seven players (9.4%) suffered from 2 or more lesions. The average of first ACL lesions was 20±4 years. The most of ACL injuries occurred during practice (N.=54, 72.9%) compared to training (N.=20, 27.1%), The higher ACL lesion occurred in the second round of national championship (N.=31, 41.8%). ACL lesions were non-contact (58, 78.3%) and with contact (16, 21.6%) were and frequently occurring during turning movements (19, 43.1%). CONCLUSIONS: This observational study with a retrospective case-series design provided information about ACL injuries in Italian female basketball players during their career. Professionals had to identify soon the different risk factors for ACL injury in order to provide prophylactic intervention to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries in Elite female Italian professional league.

Anterior cruciate ligament injury profile in Italian Serie A1-A2 women's volleyball league.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess how anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures with subsequent surgery reconstruction impact on the professional career of A1-A2 Italian women's volleyball league players. METHODS: Using an observational study with a retrospective case-series design for ACL ruptures, 125 teams with 1488 players were monitored. Subjects had to report level, role, injury modality, lower limb injured, laterality, period of the season and age. RESULTS: A total of 34 ACL ruptures were reported. Thirty-three (97%) were non-contact and 1 (3%) with contact. Twenty-one (61.7%) occurred in landing from a jump attack, 3 (8.8%) in landing from wall jump, 1 (3%) with apparent contact and 9 (26.5%) in other landing conditions. The most injured knee was the left limb (22, 64.7%) respect to the right limb (12, 35.3%). Fourteen (41.2%) ruptures occurred in spikers, 10 (29.4%) in middle blockers, 6 (17.6%) in setters, 3 (8.8%) in liberos and 1 (3%) in opposite hitters. Nine (26.5%) occurred in pre-season period, 16 (47%) in the first round, 4 (11.8%) in the second round, and 5 (14.7%) during play-off. The average age of the first ACL rupture was 23±3 years. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that female volleyball players of A1-A2 Italian volleyball league occurred mostly in a left non-contact ACL rupture during a landing condition and the spikers were the players most at risk. Therefore, it is desirable that coaches teach players variations of landing in order to avoid possible chronic overloading of ACL.

Acute Effects of Partial-Body Cryotherapy on Isometric Strength: Maximum Handgrip Strength Evaluation.

De Nardi, M, Pizzigalli, L, Benis, R, Caffaro, F, and Cremasco, MM. Acute effects of partial-body cryotherapy on isometric strength: maximum handgrip strength evaluation. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3497-3502, 2017-The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of a single partial-body cryotherapy (PBC) session on the maximum handgrip strength (JAMAR Hydraulic Hand dynamometer). Two hundred healthy adults were randomized into a PBC group and a control group (50 men and 50 women in each group). After the initial handgrip strength test (T0), the experimental group performed a 150-second session of PBC (temperature range between -130 and -160° C), whereas the control group stayed in a thermo neutral room (22.0 ± 0.5° C). Immediately after, both groups performed another handgrip strength test (T1). Data underlined that both groups showed an increase in handgrip strength values, especially the experimental group (Control: T0 = 39.48 kg, T1 = 40.01 kg; PBC: T0 = 39.61 kg, T1 = 41.34 kg). The analysis also reported a statistical effect related to gender (F = 491.99, P ≤ 0.05), with women showing lower handgrip strength values compared with men (women = 30.43 kg, men = 52.27 kg). Findings provide the first evidence that a single session of PBC leads to the improvement of muscle strength in healthy people. The results of the study imply that PBC could be performed also before a training session or a sport competition, to increase hand isometric strength.

Hand grip strength and anthropometric characteristics in Italian female national basketball teams.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of hand and body dimensions on hand grip strength and to define a reference scale for talent identification in basketball players. METHODS: Body and hand anthropometric data and the maximal handgrip strength of 109 female Italian basketball National players (Under14-Seniores) were measured. RESULTS: Handgrip strength and arm length trend increased, raising the statistical significant differences only for players from the age of 19 (U20, Seniores) with respect to sub-elite groups (U14, U15) (P<0.05). Handgrip strength showed low positive correlations with height and Body Mass Index but a positive relationships with arm length (r=0.5; P<0.001). Findings underline training and years of practice have effects on increasing handgrip strength. CONCLUSIONS: Data show that to select female basketball players by arm length means selecting by handgrip strength. Thus it is possible to suggest that in addition to height, arm length could also be considered a useful parameter in young female talent identification.

Elite Female Basketball Players' Body-Weight Neuromuscular Training and Performance on the Y-Balance Test.

CONTEXT: Neuromuscular training enhances unconscious motor responses by stimulating both the afferent signals and central mechanisms responsible for dynamic joint control. Dynamic joint-control training is a vital component of injury-prevention programs. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of body-weight neuromuscular training on Y-Balance Test (YBT) performance and postural control in female basketball players. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Basketball practice sessions. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 28 healthy elite female basketball players were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 14) or a control group (n = 14). INTERVENTION(S): Before their regular practice sessions, the experimental group warmed up with body-weight neuromuscular exercises and the control group with standard tactical-technical exercises twice weekly for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Anterior-, posteromedial-, and posterolateral-reach and composite YBT scores were measured before and after 8 weeks of training. RESULTS: Improvement over baseline scores was noted in the posteromedial (right = 86.5 ± 4.5 cm versus 89.6 ± 2.2 cm, +3.5%, P = .049; left = 85.5 ± 4.3 cm versus 90.2 ± 2.7 cm, +5.5%, P = .038)- and posterolateral (right = 90.7 ± 3.6 cm versus 94.0 ± 2.7 cm, +3.6%, P = .016; left = 90.9 ± 3.5 cm versus 94.2 ± 2.6 cm, +3.6%, P = .011)-reach directions and in the composite YBT scores (right = 88.6% ± 3.2% versus 94.0% ± 1.8%, +5.4%, P = .0004; left = 89.2% ± 3.2% versus 94.5% ± 3.0%, +5.8%, P = .001) of the experimental group. No differences in anterior reach were detected in either group. Differences were noted in postintervention scores for posteromedial reach (right = 89.6 ± 2.2 cm versus 84.3 ± 4.4 cm, +4.1%, P = .005; left = 94.2 ± 2.6 cm versus 84.8 ± 4.4 cm, +10%, P = .003) and composite scores (right = 94.0% ± 1.8% versus 87.3% ± 2.0%, +7.1%, P = .003; left = 94.8% ± 3.0% versus 87.9% ± 3.4%, +7.3%, P < .0001) between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Body-weight neuromuscular training improved postural control and lower limb stability in female basketball players as assessed with the YBT. Incorporating neuromuscular training into the workout routines for basketball players may enhance joint awareness and reduce the risk of lower extremity injury.

Acute effects of whole-body cryotherapy on sit-and-reach amplitude in women and men.

Flexibility is an intrinsic property of body tissues, which among other factors determines the range of motion (ROM). A decrease in neural activation of the muscle has been linked with greater ROM. Cryotherapy is an effective technique to reduces neural activation. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate if a single session of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) affects ROM. 60 women and 60 men were divided into two groups (control and experimental). After the initial sit-and-reach test, experimental group performed a 150 s session of WBC, whereas the control group stayed in thermo-neutral environment. Immediately after, both groups performed another sit-and-reach test. A 3-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant time×group and time × gender interaction. Experimental groups improved sit-and-reach amplitude to a greater extend than the control group. Our results support the hypothesis that ROM is increased immediately after a single session of WBC.