Seasonal Changes in Neuromuscular Performance Across a Training Year in Women Collegiate Lacrosse Athletes.

Abstract

Abstract: Korpinen, M, Magee, M, Dulak-Sigler, C, Fields, JB, Jagim, AR, King, E, Burke, A, and Jones, MT. Seasonal changes in neuromuscular performance across a training year in women collegiate lacrosse athletes. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2025-Body composition and athlete load management are vital to adequate training stimuli and to mitigate neuromuscular (NM) fatigue. Research is limited regarding NM performance (NMP) in women lacrosse athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate changes in NMP in women lacrosse athletes across a training year. Collegiate women lacrosse athletes (n = 9, mean ± SD; age = 19.1 ± 0.9 years, height = 168.4 ± 6.8 cm, body mass = 68.0 ± 8.1 kg) completed countermovement jump (CMJ) and isokinetic strength (IS) testing of dominant and nondominant legs 4 times throughout the season: preseason start, preseason end, in-season end, and off-season end to assess NMP. Measures included (a) CMJ output variables of reactive strength index modified (RSImod), jump height, relative values of braking force, peak power, peak propulsive force, impulse; (b) CMJ strategy variables of time-to-takeoff, eccentric duration, concentric duration, relative braking time, CMJ depth; and (c) IS relative peak torques of quadriceps and hamstrings musculature. Secondary measures including body composition variables of body mass, % body fat (%BF), and fat-free mass. Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis assessed changes in CMJ and IS parameters to determine patterns in NMP (p < 0.05). Changes observed from preseason start to offseason end included increased CMJ depth (p = 0.019), relative braking time (p = 0.009), and %BF (p = 0.01). The IS variables increased throughout the training year, except for a decrease during preseason, perhaps indicative of overreaching. Negative changes in alternative CMJ variables and body composition reduced NMP, which highlights the importance of off-season program design and implementation to elicit desired training adaptations.