Kinetic and Kinematic Characteristics Underpinning Change of Direction Performance in Basketball: A Comparative Study Between Sexes and Tests.

Abstract

Baena-Raya, A, Díez-Fernández, DM, Martínez-Rubio, C, Conceição, F, and López-Sagarra, A. Kinetic and kinematic characteristics underpinning change of direction performance in basketball: A comparative study between sexes and tests. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): e182-e188, 2024-This study (a) evaluated the sex-specific kinetic and kinematic outcomes underpinning change of direction (COD) performance, (b) compared these outcomes across 3 different COD tests, and (c) examined the sex-specific and test-specific outcome most strongly related to COD performance in basketball players. Thirty young basketball players (17 males and 13 females) competing at the national level were assessed for the modified 505 test, modified T test, and V-cut test. The Local Positioning System technology (WIMU PRO, Realtrack Systems S.L., Almería, Spain) was used to measure the maximum values of acceleration (ACC max ), deceleration (DEC max ), velocity (VEL max ), and centripetal force (CentF max ) in each COD test. Male players displayed greater ACC max , VEL max , DEC max , and CentF max outputs for each section of the 505 test, T test, and V-cut test (all p < 0.05), resulting in a faster COD performance than females across tests (all ES > -1.42; 95% CI = -3.45 to -0.57). The 505 test demanded significantly greater kinematic outputs than T test and V-cut test for both sexes ( p < 0.01). The ACC max explained ∼26-58% of the variability in COD time for males across tests ( p < 0.05) and 40% in females' modified 505-test time ( p < 0.05). Likewise, in females, DEC max explained 38% of the modified T -test time variability, whereas VEL max explained 53% in the V-cut test time (both p < 0.05). These findings suggest that (a) COD data should not be used interchangeably across sexes, (b) test specificities should be considered for designing COD training, and (c) the kinematic outcomes explaining COD performance might vary across sexes.