Strength asymmetries and their impact on landing dynamics during countermovement jump and drop jump tests in professional female basketball players.

Background: Tendon structure is related to the magnitude of load and its management, rather than directly predicting pain incidence. Although pain symptoms frequently persist until they severely impact performance, function, and tendon structure, professional basketball players often manage patellar tendon pain alongside high training and competition loads. The aim of this study was to investigate patellar tendon structural adaptations over 8 months of training and competition in professional female and male basketball players. Methods: The primary outcome of this study was defined as the change in the percentage of echo-type II structure from baseline to 8 months. A prospective cohort study was conducted where 43 professional basketball players (20 male, 23 female) were followed during 8 months of training and competition. A bilateral patellar tendon ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) scan was conducted, and jumping leg (jumping/non-jumping), presence of pain (yes/no), and exposure time (hours) were recorded at baseline, and at 4 and 8 months in the competitive season. Results: The mid-tendon exhibited negative adaptations (decreased alignment), represented by echo-type II, after 8 months of competition (left; p = 0.001; ES = 2.16; right; p = 0.001; ES = −1.35). Positive adaptations (increased alignment], were observed in echo-types III (p = 0.004; ES = −1.04) and IV (p = 0.001; ES = −0.15), after 4 and 8 months. Tendon structure showed differences between female and male professional basketball players throughout the 8 months (echo-type II; p = 0.00; ES = 0.34). Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the tendon structure undergoes significant adaptations, supporting the concept that the patellar tendon adapts to compensate for areas of structure disorganization. Female professional basketball players appeared to maintain a more organized tendon structure than their male counterparts. Jumping leg and presence of pain did not show significant differences in tendon structure over the study period. This research has significant implications for elite sport, as a better understanding of tendon load capacity throughout a competitive season is needed.

Assessing the physical ability of players to perform change of direction and the cognitive and motor abilities revealed in reactive agility (RA) is necessary to understand the physical requirements and capabilities of professional players in handball and basketball. The main aim of this study was to determine the differences between professional female basketball and handball players in terms of anthropometric features, change of direction speed (CODS), and the RA task. Moreover, the relationships among anthropometric features, agility, and parameters of perception were determined. Two scenarios of the Five-Time Shuttle Run to Gates test (planned and unplanned) were used to evaluate the CODS and RA. The response time (RT) was also measured in the unplanned scenario. Additionally, the index of reactivity (REAC-INDEX) was specified as the difference between the RA test result and the measurement of CODS. There was a significant difference found in terms of body height, with basketball players being taller than handball players (p = 0.032). Professional female handball players achieved better results than professional female basketball players with regard to RA tasks (p = 0.01) and CODS (p = 0.041). Significant simple correlations between each anthropometric feature (body height, body mass) and values for CODS and RA were observed (r = 0.49–0.53). Applying partial correlation allowed for the assessment of actual relationships among CODS, RA, RT, and REAC-INDEX, without a confounding variable. Detaching the anthropometric parameters from the rest of the relationships resulted in maintenance or changes in r-values and an increased significance in the relationships between each pair: RA vs. RT, RA vs. REAC-INDEX, and RT vs. REAC-INDEX. The strongest associations were related to RT vs. REAC-INDEX (r = 0.97 at detaching body height or body mass, p < 0.001) and CODS vs. RA (r = 0.66 at detaching body height and r = −0.67 at detaching body mass, p < 0.001). It is recommended to use partial correlations in subsequent studies, as simple correlations are not reliable and may not reveal the apparent relationships between the variables. In addition, when determining the CODS and RA, it is suggested to take anthropometric and perception variables into account, such as reaction time or REAC-INDEX.

BackgroundACL injuries are commonly seen in basketball players, especially in female players. Players with previous ACL injuries would have higher re-injury risk and there is till no standardized training protocol...

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in female basketball players, who have a 2 to 3 times higher risk for an ACL injury than their male counterparts. Improving our understanding of the situations and biomechanics that result in an ACL injury in basketball players may support the design of more effective programs to mitigate the injury risk. Purpose: To describe the injury mechanisms, situational patterns, and biomechanics of ACL injuries during matches in professional female basketball players. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A total of 105 ACL injuries in professional female European basketball leagues from the 2018 to 2023 seasons were identified. There were 41 (39%) injury videos analyzed for injury mechanisms and situational patterns, while biomechanical analysis was possible in 33 cases. There were 3 independent reviewers who rated each video. Data according to player position, phase of the match, and location on the court were also evaluated (n = 41). Analysis regarding neurocognitive perturbation was assessed in 41 cases (100%). Results: Most injuries (n = 28 [68%]) occurred during offensive possession. Indirect contact injuries were more prevalent (n = 23 [56%]) than noncontact injuries (n = 18 [44%]). Overall, 3 main situational patterns constituted 95% of injuries: offensive cut (n = 20 [49%]), defensive cut (n = 12 [29%]), and landing from a jump (n = 7 [17%]). Injuries involving a knee-dominant pattern with valgus were identified in 64% of cases. Injuries were evenly distributed between the first (53%) and second (47%) halves of a game. Half (50%) occurred within the first 10 minutes of effective playing time, and the most frequent months of injury were October and November (44%; early season). Nearly half (46%) of the injuries occurred in small forwards, with 59% of injuries occurring in zone 5. Neurocognitive errors were seen in 56% of injuries, while 92% of defensive injuries showed signs of neurocognitive errors. Conclusion: ACL injuries in professional female basketball players were caused by indirect contact or noncontact, involving offensive and defensive cuts as well as landing from a jump. Biomechanical analysis confirmed a multiplanar mechanism with a knee-dominant pattern and valgus. Most injuries occurred early in the season and within the first 20 effective minutes played (89%), making accumulated fatigue an unlikely risk factor for ACL injuries in basketball players.

During the basketball season, it is essential to carefully plan training and recovery activities to optimize players' performance. This study monitored training load and perceived recovery indicators in professional female basketball players across the preseason and in-season phases. Seventeen professional female basketball players (age: 19.6±3.1 years; height: 180.2±5.9 cm; playing position: 8 backcourt, 9 frontcourt) were monitored for eleven consecutive weeks. Each morning, players reported their perceived recovery using a 10-point Total Quality of Recovery (TQR) Scale. After each training session or game, players reported their perceived exertion using the CR-10 Scale, which was multiplied by the duration of the training or game to obtain the session load. Weekly load, monotony, strain, TQR<inf>AM</inf> (morning recovery) and TQR<inf>fw</inf> (recovery at the start of the following week) were calculated. Linear mixed models were performed to assess the effects of season phase (preseason; in-season), playing position (backcourt; frontcourt) and group (senior; under) on load and recovery variables. Weekly load, monotony and strain were higher in the preseason than the in-season phase (all P<0.001, ES: moderate-large). Strain was higher in senior players compared to under (P=0.045, ES: small). Regarding recovery variables, no effects were found for TQR<inf>AM</inf>, while TQR<inf>fw</inf> was higher in the preseason than in-season (P<0.001, ES: moderate) phase. Professional female basketball players experience lower internal loads but poorer perceived recovery during the in-season phase. Practitioners should carefully consider the stress of competition and the cumulative fatigue from high preseason loads during the transition from the preseason to the regular season.

Three-point shooting plays an important role in determining the outcomes of basketball games and could be relevant for player selection. However, there has been little research into the relationship between basketball players’ physical capacities, metabolic capacities, and three-point shooting accuracy, particularly among female players. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between physical capacities, metabolic capacities, and dynamic three-point shooting accuracy in female professional basketball players. Twelve female professional basketball players from the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) league (age: 19.04 ± 1.31 years, height: 181.33 ± 4.90 cm, playing experience: 7.83 ± 1.7 years) were recruited for this study. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression analysis were run to assess the relationship between physical capacities, metabolic capacities, and dynamic three-point shooting. Results showed that coordination, balance, core strength, and relative average power were positively correlated with three-point shooting accuracy (r &gt; 0.58, p &lt; 0.05), while no other variables showed significant correlations. The current study suggests that coaching staff should consider coordination, balance, core strength, and anaerobic capacities when selecting players as well as in their training periodization if three-point shooting accuracy is considered relevant.

Differentiated brain activation in high-performance athletes supports neuronal mechanisms relevant to sports performance. Preparation for the motor action involves cortical and sub-cortical regions that can be non-invasively modulated by electrical current stimulation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on electrical brain activity in professional female basketball players during free-throw shooting. Successful free-throw shooting (n = 2,361) from seven professional female basketball players was analyzed during two experimental conditions (HD-tDCS cathodic and sham) separated by 72 h. Three spectral bio-markers, Power Ratio Index (PRI), Delta Alpha Ratio (DAR), and Theta Beta Ratio (TBR) were measured (electroencephalography [EEG] Brain Products). Multi-channel HD-tDCS was applied for 20 min, considering current location and intensity for cathodic stimulation: FCC1h, AFF5h, AFF1h (-0.5 mA each), and FCC5h (ground). The within EEG analyses (pre and post HD-tDCS) of frontal channels (Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4, FC1, FC3) for 1 second epoch pre-shooting, showed increases in PRI (p < 0.001) and DAR (p < 0.001) for HD-tDCS cathodic condition, and in TBR for both conditions (cathodic, p = 0.01; sham, p = 0.002). Sub-group analysis divided the sample into less (n = 3; LSG) and more (n = 4; MSG) stable free-throw-shooting performers and revealed that increases in pre to post HD-tDCS in PRI only occurred for the LSG. These results suggest that the effect of HD-tDCS may induce changes in slow frontal frequency brain activities and that this alteration seems to be greater for players demonstrating a less stable free-throw shooting performance.

PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to compare anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of Korean female professional basketball players in different classes (starter and non-starter) and playing positions. METHODS Twenty-four female professional basketball players (12 starter vs. 12 non-starter) participated in this study voluntarily. For each player, anthropometric measurements were performed, as well as a sargent jump (SJ), isokinetic leg strength, side step, and graded exercise tests (GXT). RESULTS Starters’ fat mass (p<.05), %fat (p<.05) and HRmax (p<.001) were significantly lower than those of non-starters’, whereas Starters’ sargent jump was significantly higher than those of non-starters’ (p<.05). However, there was no significant differences in relative left and right leg flexor and extensor strength at 60˚/sec and 180˚/sec among playing positions. According to the correlation analysis, %fat and HRmax were negatively correlated and lean body mass was positively correlated with the SJ. The side step had a negative correlation with BMI, but a positive correlation with VO2max, while VO2max was negatively correlated with fat mass, %fat and HRmax. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study indicated that physical performance of female professional basketball players differed between starters and non-starters, whereas there were no significant differences among guards, forwards and centers. According to the present study, in order to improve the competitiveness of female professional basketball players, body composition management is required to reduce body fat mass, % fat, and BMI, as well as muscle strength strengthening and cardiopulmonary endurance training programs also demand. 색인어: 여자, 프로농구 ì„ ìˆ˜, ì‹ ì²´ê³„ì¸¡, ì²´ë ¥, í¬ì§€ì ˜ Keywords: Female, Professional Basketball, Anthropometric, Fitness, Position

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of acute caffeine supplementation on anaerobic performance in professional female basketball players. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, experimental design was used in a randomized counterbalanced manner. In separate sessions, 10 professional basketball players ingested caffeine (3 mg/kg body mass) or a placebo (dextrose: 3 mg/kg body mass) 60 min before completing countermovement jumps (CMJ) with and without arm swing, a squat jump (SJ), the Lane Agility Drill, 20-m sprints (with 5-m and 10-m split times recorded) with and without dribbling a ball, and a suicide run. Participants provided ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and ratings of perceived performance 30 min following testing. Data analyses included the use of effect size (ES) and significance. Caffeine supplementation produced small nonsignificant (p > 0.05) increases in CMJ without arm swing (ES = 0.30), CMJ with arm swing (ES = 0.29), SJ (ES = 0.33), and the lane agility drill (ES = -0.27). Caffeine supplementation produced small to moderate significant improvements in 10-m (ES = -0.63; p = 0.05) and 20-m (ES = -0.41; p = 0.04) sprint times without dribbling. Caffeine supplementation promoted a moderate significant reduction in RPE during the test battery (ES = -1.18; p = 0.04) and a small nonsignificant improvement in perceived performance (ES = 0.23; p = 0.53). Acute caffeine supplementation may produce small to moderate improvements in key performance attributes required for basketball while reducing RPE.

A rapidly emerging area of interest in high-pressure environments is that of pupillometry, where handheld quantitative infrared pupillometers (HQIPs) are able to track psycho-physiological fatigue in a fast, objective, valid, reliable, and non-invasive manner. However, the application of HQIPs in the context of athlete monitoring is yet to be determined. Therefore, the main aim of this pilot study was to examine the potential usefulness of a HQIP to monitor game-induced fatigue inside a professional female basketball setting by determining its (1) test-retest repeatability, (2) relationship with other biomarkers of game-induced fatigue, and (3) time-course from rested to fatigued states. A non-ophthalmologic practitioner performed a standardized Pupil Light Reflex (PLR) test using a medically graded HQIP among 9 professional female basketball players (2020-2021 Euro Cup) at baseline, 24-h pre-game (GD-1), 24-h post-game (GD+1) and 48-h post-game (GD+2). This was repeated over four subsequent games, equalling a total of 351 observations per eye. Two out of seven pupillometrics displayed good ICCs (0.95-0.99) (MinD and MaxD). Strong significant relationships were found between MaxD, MinD, and all registered biomarkers of game-induced fatigue (r = 0.69-0.82, p < 0.05), as well as between CV, MCV, and cognitive, lower-extremity muscle, and physiological fatigue markers (r = 0.74-0.76, p < 0.05). Three pupillometrics were able to detect a significant difference between rested and fatigued states. In particular, PC (right) (F = 5.173, η2 = 0.115 p = 0.028) and MCV (right) (F = 3.976, η2 = 0.090 p = 0.049) significantly decreased from baseline to GD+2, and LAT (left) (F = 4.023, η2 = 0.109 p = 0.009) significantly increased from GD-1 to GD+2. HQIPs have opened a new window of opportunity for monitoring game-induced fatigue in professional female basketball players. However, future research initiatives across larger and heterogenous samples, and longer investigation periods, are required to expand upon these preliminary findings.

The negative effect of prolonged cognitive demands on psychomotor skills in athletes has been demonstrated. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could be used to mitigate this effect. This study examined the effects of tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during a 30-min inhibitory Stroop task on cognitive and shooting performances of professional female basketball players. Following a randomised, double-blinded, sham-controlled, cross-over design, players were assigned to receive anodal tDCS (a-tDCS, 2 mA for 20 min) or sham-tDCS in two different sessions. Data from 8 players were retained for analysis. Response Time decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001; partial η 2 = 0.44; no effect of condition, or condition vs. time interaction). No difference in mean accuracy and shooting performance was observed between tDCS conditions. The results suggest that a-tDCS exert no additional benefits in reducing the negative effects of prolonged cognitive demands on technical performance compared to sham (placebo). Practitioner summary: Prolonged cognitive demands can negatively affect the athletes' performance. We tested whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) could attenuate these effects on cognitive and shooting performance in professional female basketball players. However, tDCS did not exert any additional benefits compared to sham. Abbreviations: tDCS: transcranial direct current stimulation; a-tDCS: anodal transcranial direct current stimulation; PFC: prefrontal cortex; DLPFC: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; PCT: prolonged cognitive task; TT: time trial; RT: response time; NASA-TLX: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index; RPE: ratings of perceived exertion; CR-10 scale: category rating scale; EEG: electroencephalogram; AU: arbitrary units.

Cabarkapa, D, Cabarkapa, DV, Batra, A, and Fry, AC. Postpractice neuromuscular performance changes in 3 × 3 professional female basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 39(5): e706-e710, 2025-The purpose of this investigation was to examine changes in lower body neuromuscular performance characteristics across multiple testing time points within a cohort of professional 3 × 3 female basketball players. Ten athletes volunteered to participate in this study (x̄ ± SD; age = 29.1 ± 4.3 years; height = 181.4 ± 7.0 cm; body mass = 77.4 ± 6.2 kg). Each athlete completed 3 countermovement vertical jumps while standing on a portable force plate system on 4 different occasions: before team practice, immediately postpractice, and the next morning and afternoon. Twenty-two force-time metrics were analyzed, 8 within braking and propulsive and 2 within landing phases of the jumping motion, including 4 performance metrics. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). The findings reveal an absence of significant changes in all force-time metrics of interest pre-post practice. However, a notable decrease in jump height (-5.8%), average and peak propulsive force (-4.3% and -4.7%), propulsive net impulse (-3.5%), average and peak propulsive power (-6.1% and -6.0%), and reactive strength index modified (-11.8%) was observed the following morning when compared with baseline measurements. The reactive strength index modified was shown to be the most sensitive metric in detecting fatigue-induced changes in athletes' performance, because it experienced the largest drop between these 2 testing time points (p = 0.011; g = 0.727). Also, the observed performance suppression disappeared by the afternoon training session because all of the aforementioned force-time metrics returned to the baseline levels, indicating that the athletes were adequately recovered to participate in team training activities.

IntroductionIn this study, we examined the acute effects of a short video-based body scan mindfulness practice on the heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive performance of professional female basketball players after the first half of a simulated basketball game.MethodsIn this crossover randomized controlled trial, nine professional athletes completed a physical loading protocol on two separate days. The protocol consisted of a 10-min Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 in the first quarter, followed by a 10-min basketball game in the second quarter. Immediately afterward, they were asked to engage in a 10-min mindfulness practice or watch a 10-min nature-based documentary as a type of mental intervention. Their HRV, Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index 2 (NASA TLX-2), and Go/No-Go test scores were recorded immediately before and after the physical loading and after the mental intervention.ResultsThe physical demand, effort, and frustration level subscales of the NASA TLX-2 and the RPE scores were found to be significantly higher after the physical loading, and they returned to the baseline level after both types of mental intervention. The Go/No-Go test scores did not differ depending on the measurement time. All time- and frequency-domain heart rate variability parameters, except the low-to-high frequency ratio, were found to be significantly high immediately after the physical loading protocol. However, these parameters returned to their initial levels after both types of mental intervention.DiscussionCompleting the tests involved in the study protocol successfully induced physical fatigue, as evidenced by consistent measurement tools, but the one-time and short-term mindfulness practice had no additional benefits for the recovery of heart rate variability, cognitive tasks, or subjective assessment methods, such as RPE and NASA TLX-2, in basketball players with no previous experience of mindfulness practice.

Background and Aims Ankle sprain is the most common lower limb musculoskeletal injury in athletes, which can be improved with low-cost and non-invasive rehabilitation programs. The present study aimed to determine the effect of eight weeks of slide board exercises on the center of pressure (COP) displacement, ankle proprioception, and ankle muscle strength of female basketball players with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Methods This is quasi-experimental with a pre-test/post-test design. Participants were 28 professional female basketball players with CAI, who were randomly divided into two groups: Exercise (age:14.00±0.78 years, height: 167.78±6.45 cm, weight: 59.57±7.18 kg) and control (age:14.07±0.82 years, height: 167.08±3.85 years, weight: 62.92±3.45 kg). Before and after the training period, the variables of COP displacement (using a foot scan device), ankle proprioception and ankle muscle strength (using Biodex system 3 pro) were measured. The exercise group performed the slide board exercises for 8 weeks, three sessions per week, each for 60 minutes under the supervision of the examiner. For statistical analysis, the analysis of covariance test was used. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results The results showed a significant difference in COP displacement (P≤0.001), ankle proprioception (P≤0.001), and ankle muscle strength (P≤0.001) after exercises between the two groups, and confirmed the higher effectiveness of the slide board exercises. Conclusion The slide board exercises for eight weeks can reduce the COP displacement and ankle proprioception and improve ankle muscle strength in professional female basketball players with CAI. Therefore, slide board exercises are recommended for the rehabilitation of female athletes with CAI.

This study aimed to identify the relationship between body composition (fat-free mass and body fat percentage) and physical performance (countermovement jump, CMJ; throwing ball; maximal isometric handgrip strength, MIHS dominant and non-dominant hands; 10-m and 20-m sprints with and without ball) in Chilean professional basketball players. Its secondary aim was to analyze if there were differences in body composition and physical performance according to sex. This was a cross-sectional study that analyzed 23 professional basketball players with a mean age of 24.0 ± 4.92 years, distributed among male professional basketball players (male professional BPs, n = 12) and female professional basketball players (female professional BPs, n = 14). The main results indicate the correlation presented significant relationships between fat-free mass with CMJ (r = 0.760; p &lt; 0.0001; ES = 1.43), MIHS dominant hand (r = 0.783; p &lt; 0.0001; ES = 1.50) and MIHS non-dominant hand (r = 0.805; p &lt; 0.0001; ES = 1.85), throwing ball (r = 0.586; p = 0.001; ES = 0.56), 10 m sprint with ball (r = −0.510; p = 0.007; ES = 0.35), and 20 m sprint with ball (r = −0.143; p = 0.046; ES = 0.16). As did body fat percentage with CMJ (r = −0.647; p = 0.000; ES = 0.56), throwing the ball (r = −0.657; p = 0.000; ES = 0.58), MIHS dominant hand (r = −0.745; p &lt; 0.0001; ES = 1.17), and MIHS non-dominant hand (r = −0.820; p &lt; 0.0001; ES = 1.50). In conclusion, body composition is related to physical performance in professional basketball players. Meanwhile, male professional BPs had better body composition and physical performance than female professional BPs.