Is ankle taping effective to limit the ankle dorsiflexion in a single-training session? An observational study in semi-professional basketball players

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Ankle taping (AT) is effective in preventing ankle sprain injuries in most common sports and is employed in rehabilitation and prevention sports. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of AT to restricting excessive frontal plane ankle movements in semi-professional basketball players throughout the training session. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was performed at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. METHODS: Forty male and female semi-professional basketball players were divided into two groups. The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and interlimb asymmetries in a weight-bearing lunge position were evaluated at four time points: 1) with no tape, 2) before practice, at 30 min of practice, and 3) immediately after practice. RESULTS: In male basketball players, no differences were observed in the right and left ankles between the baseline and 30 min and between baseline and 90 min of assessment. In female athletes, significant differences were reported between baseline and pre-training assessments for the right ankle and also significant differences between baseline and 90 min in both ankles. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle taping effectively decreased the ankle dorsiflexion ROM in male and female basketball players immediately after application. However, ROM restriction was very low after 30 and 90 min, as assessed in a single basketball practice. Therefore, the classic taping method should be revised to develop new prophylactic approaches, such as the implementation of semi-rigid bracing techniques or the addition of active stripes during training or game pauses.

Is ankle taping effective to limit the ankle dorsiflexion in a single-training session? An observational study in semi-professional basketball players.

BACKGROUND: Ankle taping (AT) is effective in preventing ankle sprain injuries in most common sports and is employed in rehabilitation and prevention sports. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of AT to restricting excessive frontal plane ankle movements in semi-professional basketball players throughout the training session. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was performed at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. METHODS: Forty male and female semi-professional basketball players were divided into two groups. The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and interlimb asymmetries in a weight-bearing lunge position were evaluated at four time points: 1) with no tape, 2) before practice, at 30 min of practice, and 3) immediately after practice. RESULTS: In male basketball players, no differences were observed in the right and left ankles between the baseline and 30 min and between baseline and 90 min of assessment. In female athletes, significant differences were reported between baseline and pre-training assessments for the right ankle and also significant differences between baseline and 90 min in both ankles. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle taping effectively decreased the ankle dorsiflexion ROM in male and female basketball players immediately after application. However, ROM restriction was very low after 30 and 90 min, as assessed in a single basketball practice. Therefore, the classic taping method should be revised to develop new prophylactic approaches, such as the implementation of semi-rigid bracing techniques or the addition of active stripes during training or game pauses.

TOM-Scale: a new method to programme training sessions loads in football / TOM-Scale: un nuevo método para programar las cargas de sesiones de entrenamiento en el fútbol

There are several methods to control both the training and match load in football. However, most of these methods do not specify a clear methodology to pre-quantify this training or match load. The aim of this study was to develop a football specific training load monitoring scale (TOM-scale) to programme the session training load. 18 professional football players from the Latvian National Football Team were tracked throughout 466 football sessions, with individual sessions ranging from 13 to 24 for each player. Players were tracked using a multisensor device including a 5 Hz Global Positioning System, a 1000 Hz triaxial accelerometer and a heart rate monitor band. A football specific scale was developed to establish session training load prior to it. This scale is based on commonly football training tasks categories, with specific set parameters for each one. External training load variables involved total running distance, % of high intensity actions (> 14.4 km·h-1), number of accelerations and decelerations, sprints (> 21 km·h-1) and impacts. Internal training load variables were % heart rate maximum, Banister TRIMP and Edwards TRIMP. The results showed positive significant correlations (p < 0.05) from moderate (r > 0.40) to very large (r < 0.90) between TOM-scale training load and all the external and internal training load variables studied. In conclusion, although this new method does not avoid of controlling the real training load to assess the way the football players cope with the individual training loads, TOM-scale may be useful to programme football sessions and adopt a periodization strategy over the season to, in example, avoid non-functional overreaching phases and/or undesirable high isolated performance peaks

En la actualidad, existen diferentes métodos para controlar la carga de entrenamiento y partido en fútbol. Sin embargo, la mayoría de estos métodos no proponen una metodología de programación de dicha carga de entrenamiento o partido. El objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar una escala específica para programar la carga de entrenamiento en fútbol (TOM-Scale). 18 jugadores profesionales pertenecientes a una selección profesional de jugadores de fútbol europea fueron monitorizados durante un total de 466 sesiones individuales, con una participación individual de 13 a 24 sesiones por jugador. La carga de entrenamiento fue registrada con un dispositivo multisensor el cual incluía un GPS de 5Hz, un acelerómetro de 1000 Hz y una banda de frecuencia cardíaca. Se desarrolló una escala específica en fútbol para establecer la carga de entrenamiento previo a la realización del mismo. Esta escala está basada en la categorización de tareas comunes en los entrenamientos en fútbol, donde posteriormente se especifican en base a parámetros específicos. Las variables de carga externa de entrenamiento contrastadas fueron la distancia total recorrida, el % de acciones de alta intensidad (> 14.4 km·h-1), el número de aceleraciones y desaceleraciones, el número de sprints (> 21 km·h-1) y los impactos. Las variables de carga interna utilizadas fueron el % de la frecuencia cardíaca máxima, Banister TRIMP y Edward TRIMP. Los resultados mostraron correlaciones positivas significativas (p <0,05) desde moderadas (r >0,40) a muy grandes (r <0,90) entre TOM-Scale y todas las variables de carga interna y externa estudiadas. En conclusión, aunque este nuevo método no exime de controlar las cargas de entrenamiento para contrastar las diferentes asimilaciones individuales de la carga de entrenamiento, es útil para programar sesiones de entrenamiento en fútbol y adoptar estrategias de periodización para, por ejemplo, evitar fases de sobre-entrenamientos no funcionales y/o picos altos de forma aislados no deseados

Effects of different automatic filters on the analysis of heart rate variability with Kubios HRV software / Efecto de los diferentes filtros automáticos en el análisis de la variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca con el software Kubios HRV

Background and objective: Heart rate variability (HRV) can provide useful information on different physiological situations. The aim of this study was to analyse heart rate variability (HRV) indices following the application of different filters included in a widely used analysis program. Material and method: 30 measurements were recorded of the heart rate signal of professional footballers. HRV was recorded in a sitting position, early morning and fasting. The HR monitor Firstbeat Bodyguard recorded HR data for 10 minutes during every measurement and Kubios(R) software imported and analysed all RR intervals. Each recording was analysed without a filter (none) and subsequently with each of the five different filters (very low=0.45 sec. low=0.35 sec. medium=0.25 sec. strong=0.15 sec. very strong=0.05 sec). The variables analysed pertained to time domain (standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN), the square root of the mean of the squares of the differences between adjacent RR intervals (rMSSD) and the number of pairs of adjacent RR intervals that differ by over 50ms in the whole recording, divided by the total number of RR intervals and expressed as a percentage (pNN50)); frequency domain (high frequency HF, low frequency LF, very low frequency VLF, both in terms of power and peak frequency); the diameters of the Poincaré plot (SD1 and SD2); as well as the internal complexity of the signal, Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (α1 and α2) and approximate and sample entropy (ApEn and SampEn). Results: A significant difference was only found for rMSSD, pNN50, LF power and HF power and SD1 when comparing the analysis of the no filter recording with the very strong filter. Conclusion: The filtering system provided by the Kubios(R) software to treat the artefacts did not affect the values of the HRV indices analysed, except when the "very strong" filter was applied

Introducción y objetivo: La Variabilidad de la Frecuencia Cardiaca (VFC) puede proporcionar información útil sobre diferentes situaciones fisiológicas. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar los índices de variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca (VFC) tras la aplicación de diferentes filtros incluidos en un programa de análisis utilizado.Material y método: Se registraron 30 mediciones de la señal del rimo cardíaco, pertenecientes a futbolistas profesionales. La VFC se registró en una posición sentada, por la mañana y en ayunas. Se realizó un registro de 10 min de duración con el monitor de ritmo cardiaco Firstbeat Bodyguard y todos las series de intervalos RR fue importada y analizada con el software Kubios(R). Cada serie de tiempo se analizó sin un filtro (ninguno) y posteriormente con cada uno de los cinco filtros diferentes (Muy bajo = 0,45 seg. Bajo = 0,35 seg. Medio = 0,25 seg. Fuerte = 0,15 seg. = Muy fuerte 0,05 seg). Las variables analizadas pertenecen al dominio de tiempo (desviación estándar de los intervalos RR (SDNN), la raíz cuadrada de la media de los cuadrados de las diferencias entre intervalos adyacentes RR (rMSSD) y el número de pares de intervalos RR adyacentes que difieren en más de 50 ms en toda la grabación, dividido por el número total de intervalos RR y expresada como un porcentaje (pNN50)); al dominio de la frecuencia (HF: alta frecuencia, LF: baja frecuencia y VLF: muy baja frecuencia, tanto en términos de potencia y la frecuencia de pico); los diámetros del gráfico de Poincaré (SD1 y SD2); así como la complejidad interna de la señal, con el análisis de la fluctuaciones sin tendencias (α1 y α2) y entropía aproximada y muestral (ApEn y SampEn). Resultados:Se encontró sólo diferencia significativa en rMSSD, pNN50, HF y LF en términos de potencia y SD1 cuando se compararon los registros al aplicar el filtro muy fuerte con sin filtro. Conclusión: El sistema de filtrado proporcionada por el software Kubios(R) para tratar los artefactos no afectó a los valores de los índices de VFC analizados, excepto cuando se aplicó el filtro "muy fuerte"

Aportaciones del análisis no lineal al estudio de la marcha humana / Nonlinear analysis contributions to the study of human gait

Cada vez es mayor la aceptación de la existencia de fenómenos caóticos cuyo comportamiento, en apariencia aleatorio, es en realidad muy complejo y puede predecirse, al menos, en cierto grado. Desde el punto de vista de la teoría del caos, el estudio de la biomecánica es diferente pues considera el sistema neuromusculoesquelético extremadamente complejo y no lineal. En la actualidad, los estudios de mayor relevantes sobre el comportamiento no lineal de la marcha humana pertenecen a dos laboratorios (Omaha y Boston), ambos localizados en EEUU. Las lineas prioritarias de investigación son el envejecimiento y las patologías que afectan a la marcha. Por ello, el propósito de este artículo fue realizar una actualización científica sobre el análisis de la dinámica no lineal de la marcha humana (AU)

There is growing acceptance of the existence of chaotic phenomena whose behavior, apparently random, is actually quite complex and can be predicted, at least to some degree. From the point of view of chaos theory, the study of biomechanics is different because it considers that the neuromusculoskeletal system is extremely complex and nonlinear. Currently, most relevant studies on the non linear behavior of human gait are two laboratories (Omaha and Boston), both located in the U.S.A. The priority research lines are aging and the diseases that affect gait. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to make a scientific update on the analysis of the non linear dynamics of human gait (AU)