Effects And Interactions Of Ncaa Di Basketball Participation On Measures Of Reactive Strength

Abstract

Measures of reactive strength attempt to model the neuromuscular regulation of muscle tissue stress and strain. The specificity of neuromuscular training is important for maximizing the effectiveness of neuromuscular regulation of stress and strain within muscle and tendon tissue. Additionally, failure to regulate stress and strain within the muscle may lead to stresses placed on supporting structures of the body, including ligaments and bones. It is important to understand how sport participation effects neuromuscular reactivity and to develop strategies that maximize neuromuscular reactivity through specific training foci. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects and interactions of sport participation on the Coefficient of Reactivity (CoR), Reactive Strength Index (RSI), and Reactive Strength Kinetic (RSK). METHODS: Fifty-nine young adults from the general community and 21 NCAA Division I basketball players performed five repetitive countermovement jumps (RCM) and a single depth jump from heights of 0.51 m, 0.66 m, and 0.81 m. The CoR, RSI, and the RSK were computed using tri-axial force platform data and two-dimensional videography. A Multivariate General Linear Model Analysis of Variance (GLM ANOVA) was performed on RCM data and another on depth jump data. Condition, sport participation, sex, and age were included as factors in each model. RESULTS: The CoR, RSI, and RSK were 30%, 22%, and 28% greater in males performing depth jumps versus females (p<0.05). The RSI and RSK were 23%, and 21% greater in males performing RCM jumping versus females (p<0.05). Main effects for sport participation were observed for the CoR, RSI, and RSK in depth jumping and for the RSI and RSK in RCM jumping (p<0.05). Sex by sport participation interactions were observed for the RSI and RSK, but not for the CoR. CONCLUSION: All three measures of reactive strength were sensitive to sex. Sex by sport interactions on the RSI and RSK suggest that involvement in NCAA Division I basketball may lead to a divergence in lower extremity neuromuscular reactivity between male and female athletes (males>females). This result makes sense from the perspective that female athletes tend to sustain higher incidence of lower extremity injuries when participating in sport.