Stiffness characteristics of the lower extremities in Women's Chinese Basketball Association competition athletes: normative values and position differences.
IF 4.3 3区 工程技术Q1 BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
Dan Wang, Zhihai Wang, Mingming Yang, Kaiyuan Qu, Xinyu Mao, Xin Yang, Zhiye Zhang, Che Shao, Eamonn Delahunt, Wenxuan Fang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Higher stiffenss is expected to augment performance by increasing the utilisation of elastic energy. However, excessive lower extremity stiffness increases the risk of bony injuries; while insufficient stiffness is associated with a higher likelihood of soft tissue injuries. Thus, there might be an 'optimal' stiffness value or range that allows for maximising athletic performance while simultaneously minimising risk of sports injury. Basketball players can be classified by position as centres, guards and forwards, with each position characterised by specific injury risks and exercise patterns. Therefore, this study aims to establish normative data for lower extremity stiffness characteristics of players in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) and compare the characteristics based on position.
Methods: A total of 124 WCBA athletes (over 70% of the WCBA teams) were recruited for this study, including 63 forwards, 22 centres and 39 guards. Stiffness was evaluated before and during the 2020-2021 WCBA season, which was averaged for data analysis. Quasi-static stiffness measurements of muscles and tendons were collected via a handheld myometer on seven sites of each leg. Vertical stiffness was also evaluated by OptoGait system.
Results: Descriptive statistics were used to establish the normative values of stiffness for forwards, centres and guards. The Kruskal Wallis test and post hoc Bonferroni pairwise comparisons found significant higher stiffness of the left patellar tendon (PT) in guards than centres (p = 0.004) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.012), right PT stiffness in guards than centres (p = 0.016) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.017), mean PT stiffness in guards than centres (p = 0.003) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.008); stiffness of the right soleus (SOL) in guards than forwards (p = 0.033), stiffness of the left biceps femoris (BF) in forwards than centres (p = 0.049) and in guards than centres (p = 0.038); and stiffness of the left vertical stiffness (hopping) in forwards than centres (p = 0.041).
Conclusion: Forwards, centres and guards were characterised by significantly different stiffness values, which could be utilised for improvement of athletic performance and injury prevention.
期刊介绍：
The translation of new discoveries in medicine to clinical routine has never been easy. During the second half of the last century, thanks to the progress in chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology, we have seen the development and the application of a large number of drugs and devices aimed at the treatment of symptoms, blocking unwanted pathways and, in the case of infectious diseases, fighting the micro-organisms responsible. However, we are facing, today, a dramatic change in the therapeutic approach to pathologies and diseases. Indeed, the challenge of the present and the next decade is to fully restore the physiological status of the diseased organism and to completely regenerate tissue and organs when they are so seriously affected that treatments cannot be limited to the repression of symptoms or to the repair of damage. This is being made possible thanks to the major developments made in basic cell and molecular biology, including stem cell science, growth factor delivery, gene isolation and transfection, the advances in bioengineering and nanotechnology, including development of new biomaterials, biofabrication technologies and use of bioreactors, and the big improvements in diagnostic tools and imaging of cells, tissues and organs.
In today`s world, an enhancement of communication between multidisciplinary experts, together with the promotion of joint projects and close collaborations among scientists, engineers, industry people, regulatory agencies and physicians are absolute requirements for the success of any attempt to develop and clinically apply a new biological therapy or an innovative device involving the collective use of biomaterials, cells and/or bioactive molecules. “Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology” aspires to be a forum for all people involved in the process by bridging the gap too often existing between a discovery in the basic sciences and its clinical application.
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