Collegiate Basketball Players Research Articles

The Impact of Skill Level on the Integration of Information and Post-Error Adjustment during Action Anticipation in Basketball.

The present study examined the impact of skill level on the integration of contextual prior information and kinematic information alongside post-error adjustment during action anticipation in basketball. Twenty-three collegiate basketball players and twenty-three control participants engaged in anticipating as quickly and accurately as possible the outcomes of free throws, utilizing video clips depicting basketball players' actions, both with and without contextual prior information. Anticipatory performance and the difference in anticipatory performance following errors and correct responses were analyzed based on skill level and the congruency of contextual prior information (none, congruent, and incongruent). The findings revealed that the congruency of contextual prior information significantly affects action anticipation, with skill level moderating this effect. Moreover, skill level influenced the congruency effect on accuracy discrepancies between post-error and post-correct trials during action anticipation, with controls showing greater sensitivity to previous trial performance compared to experts. These results provide further evidence for the notion that individuals employ Bayesian reliability-based strategies to integrate different information sources and underscore the role of skill level in adjusting anticipatory judgments following errors during action anticipation. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that differentiate skill levels in action anticipation, potentially guiding the development of targeted training interventions.

Association Between Patellar Tendon Abnormality and Land-Jump Biomechanics in Male Collegiate Basketball Players During the Preseason.

Patellar tendinopathy is a degenerative condition that predominantly affects jumping athletes. Symptoms may be subtle or nonexistent at preseason, but structural abnormalities may be present. Assessing patellar tendon abnormality (PTA) through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) and classifying symptoms using the Victorian Institute for Sport Assessment-Patellar tendon (VISA-P) may provide useful insights if combined with biomechanics measurements. To (1) assess whether land-jump biomechanical patterns are associated with clinically pertinent PTA as seen on imaging and through VISA-P scores and (2) model the contributing risk and accuracy of biomechanics to classify PTA and symptomatic observations. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 26 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and II male basketball players (n = 52 limbs) were recruited during the preseason. We collected VISA-P scores, bilateral PTA through US and MRI morphology measurements, and bilateral 3-dimensional lower extremity kinematics and kinetics measurements from a land-jump test from an 18-inch-high (45.7-cm-high) box. Statistically, each limb was treated independently. The association of biomechanics with PTA and symptoms (VISA-P score <80) was tested with multivariate models and post hoc tests. Logistic regression modeled relative risk and accuracy of biomechanical variables to classify PTA and symptomatic limbs. There were 19 to 24 limbs with PTA depending on US and MRI measurements. Differences in hip and knee kinematic strategies and ground-reaction loads were associated with PTA and symptomatic limbs. Peak landing vertical ground-reaction force was significantly decreased (169 ± 26 vs 195 ± 29 %body weight; P = .001), and maximum hip flexion velocity was significantly increased (416 ± 74 vs 343 ± 94 deg/s; P = .005) in limbs with versus without PTA on imaging. Knee flexion at the initial contact was decreased in symptomatic versus healthy limbs (17°± 5° vs 21°± 5°, respectively; P = .045). Regression models classified PTA limbs and symptomatic limbs with 71.2% to 86.5% accuracy. Hip and knee maximum flexion velocity and vertical ground-reaction force variables were most common across models observing clinically pertinent PTA. Our findings suggested that functional kinematic and kinetic biomechanical strategies at the hip and knee were associated with PTA, identified on imaging, and symptomatic limbs.

Reducing Limb Asymmetry in Females Collegiate Basketball: A Randomized Trial

Background and Aim: Interlimb strength asymmetry has garnered significant attention in the field of sports science for its potential to influence both athletic performance and injury risk. Despite this, there is a noticeable gap in the literature concerning its impact on elite female collegiate basketball players. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of targeted weaker limb strength training in reducing jump strength asymmetry among elite female college basketball players. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled design was used, involving 24 elite female college basketball players from Guangzhou Sports University. The Experimental Group underwent specialized training for the weaker limb, while the Control Group followed balanced training. The primary outcome was the change in the maximum ground reaction force (GRF) during single-leg jumps. Linear Mixed-Effects models were used for statistical analysis, with a two-tailed significance level of p&lt;0.05. Result: The intervention was effective in reducing Countermovement Jump Asymmetry and Horizontal Jump Asymmetry with statistical significance (p-values 0.0045 and 0.029, respectively) but did not significantly impact Lateral Jump Asymmetry (p-value 0.2733). These findings were consistent when comparing the Experimental and Control groups post-intervention (p-values 0.0055 and 0.0474 for Countermovement and Horizontal, respectively; 0.3995 for Lateral). Time and group interaction analyses were significant but not universally consistent across all measures after the Bonferroni correction. Overall, the intervention had a mixed but generally positive effect on jump asymmetry. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that targeted weaker limb strength training can effectively reduce jump strength asymmetry in elite female collegiate basketball players. These findings have implications for athletic training regimens aimed at both improving performance and reducing the risk of injury.

The Relationship Between Mental Fatigue and Shooting Performance Over the Course of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Basketball Season.

Daub, BD, McLean, BD, Heishman, AD, Peak, KM, and Coutts, AJ. The relationship between mental fatigue and shooting performance over the course of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball season. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 334-341, 2024-The aim of this investigation was to examine the presence of mental fatigue and concurrent changes in shooting performance across various experimental weeks throughout a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball season. Fifteen elite male NCAA Division I collegiate basketball players (age 20.2 ± 1.2 years, height 199.3 ± 7.1 cm, and body mass 93.1 ± 8.6 kg) volunteered for this study. Mental fatigue and basketball shooting performance was evaluated at 4 timepoints with varying seasonal demands: high game volume (GAME), high academic load (ACADEMIC), no games and no academic load (PRACTICE), and standard number of games and academic requirements (TYPICAL). Subjective mental fatigue increased significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) from Pre to Post brief psychomotor vigilance test (PVT-B) measurements at the end of the ACADEMIC week ( p = 0.002, d = 1.51) and from beginning to end of the ACADEMIC week ( p < 0.001, d = 2.21). Ratings of mental effort were significantly increased during the ACADEMIC week ( p < 0.001, d = 1.67). Recovery stress questionnaire (REST-Q) showed significant differences between week GAME and ACADEMIC with an increase in Social Stress ( p = 0.001, d = 0.84), Fatigue ( p = 0.021, d = 1.12), Disturbed Breaks ( p = 0.024, d = 0.57), and Emotional Exhaustion ( p = 0.035, d = 0.75). Lower shooting performance was observed during the ACADEMIC week from Pre to Post ( p = 0.009, d = 0.35) and higher scores Pre to Post in the TYPICAL week ( p = 0.008, d = 0.25). Basketball shooting performance was significantly reduced after increased levels of mental fatigue stemming from added academic stress. In addition, an increase in sport-specific training or games had no effect on subsequent basketball shooting performance. Special consideration should be given by coaches around examination periods because the existence of academic stressors can influence basketball shooting performance.

Multiparametric MRI of Knees in Collegiate Basketball Players: Associations With Morphological Abnormalities and Functional Deficits.

Rates of cartilage degeneration in asymptomatic elite basketball players are significantly higher compared with the general population due to excessive loads on the knee. Compositional quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) techniques can identify local biochemical changes of macromolecules observed in cartilage degeneration. The purpose of this study was to utilize multiparametric qMRI to (1) quantify how T1ρ and T2 relaxation times differ based on the presence of anatomic abnormalities and (2) correlate T1ρ and T2 with self-reported functional deficits. It was hypothesized that prolonged relaxation times will be associated with knees with MRI-graded abnormalities and knees belonging to basketball players with greater self-reported functional deficits. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 75 knees from National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball players (40 female, 35 male) were included in this multicenter study. All players completed the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and had bilateral knee MRI scans taken. T1ρ and T2 were calculated on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The cartilage surfaces were segmented into 6 compartments: lateral femoral condyle, lateral tibia, medial femoral condyle, medial tibia (MT), patella (PAT), and trochlea (TRO). Lesions from the MRI scans were graded for imaging abnormalities, and statistical parametric mapping was performed to study cross-sectional differences based on MRI scan grading of anatomic knee abnormalities. Pearson partial correlations between relaxation times and KOOS subscore values were computed, obtaining r value statistical parametric mappings and P value clusters. Knees without patellar tendinosis displayed significantly higher T1ρ in the PAT compared with those with patellar tendinosis (average percentage difference, 10.4%; P = .02). Significant prolongation of T1ρ was observed in the MT, TRO, and PAT of knees without compared with those with quadriceps tendinosis (average percentage difference, 12.7%, 13.3%, and 13.4%, respectively; P ≤ .05). A weak correlation was found between the KOOS-Symptoms subscale values and T1ρ/T2. Certain tissues that bear the brunt of impact developed tendinosis but spared cartilage degeneration. Whereas participants reported minimal functional deficits, their high-impact activities resulted in structural damage that may lead to osteoarthritis after their collegiate careers.

Inclusion of a connected adaptive resistance exercise machine in a 6-week training regimen with collegiate basketball players

In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of incorporating connected adaptive resistance exercise (CARE) into a training regimen with collegiate basketball players on lower body performance metrics. Thirty-two male participants (aged 18-26) with collegiate basketball experience trained thrice weekly for 6 weeks with a periodized training program that included CARE and were randomized 1:1 and blinded to an intervention group (n = 16; where the CARE used accentuated eccentric loading (AEL)) or an active control group (n = 16; where the CARE did not use accentuated eccentric loading (ACTL)). Standard anthropomorphic measures along with one repetition maximum (1-RM) back squat, vertical jump height, and peak power were assessed prior to and following completion of the training regimen. Both groups demonstrated significant increases in 1-RM back squat, jump height, and peak power (both p &lt; .001). However, AEL yielded significantly greater improvements compared to ACTL across these measures (p &lt;.001, g = 0.91; p &lt;.001, g = 0.89; p &lt;.001, g = 0.92, respectively). The findings of the present study demonstrate that the inclusion of CARE may be a superior strategy for improving performance variables of lower-body strength, peak power and jump height for male collegiate basketball players.

Acute Effects of Back Squat Combined with Different Elastic Band Resistance on Vertical Jump Performance in Collegiate Basketball Players.

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of back squat exercise with or without elastic band on countermovement jump performance. Thirteen collegiate male basketball players (age: 20.5 ± 0.9 years; height: 188.5 ± 8.5 cm; body mass: 82.8 ± 12.9 kg) completed 5 familiarization and 4 experimental sessions separated by at least 48 hours. In the experimental sessions, the order of the conditions was randomized so that the participants performed 1 set of 3 repetitions of barbell back squat at 85% of their one-repetition maximum (1-RM), 1 set of 3 repetitions of back squat at 85% 1-RM with 20% variable resistance training (VRT), 30%VRT, or 40%VRT of the total load coming from the elastic band. Countermovement jump performance was assessed before (baseline), 30 seconds, 3 minutes, 6 minutes, and 9 minutes following each condition. Jump height, rate of force development, peak power, and vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and medial gastrocnemius electromyography data were collected. Compared with the baseline, 30%VRT significantly improved jump height at 3 minutes post-exercise by 1.3 cm (P < 0.001) and 6 minutes post-exercise by 1.2 cm (P = 0.005); 40%VRT significantly improved jump height from 30 seconds up to the 9th minute (1.2 to 1.9 cm, P ≤ 0.036). The superior jump height was also accompanied by improved kinetic and electromyography data. No significant changes were observed in the barbell back squat and 20%VRT conditions. In conclusion, back squat at 85% 1-RM with 40% elastic band resistance led to superior vertical jump performance with an optimal time window of 3 minutes.

Acute Effects of Back Squat Combined with Different Elastic Band Resistance on Vertical Jump Performance in Collegiate Basketball Players

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of back squat exercise with or without elastic band on countermovement jump performance. Thirteen collegiate male basketball players (age: 20.5 ± 0.9 years; height: 188.5 ± 8.5 cm; body mass: 82.8 ± 12.9 kg) completed 5 familiarization and 4 experimental sessions separated by at least 48 hours. In the experimental sessions, the order of the conditions was randomized so that the participants performed 1 set of 3 repetitions of barbell back squat at 85% of their one-repetition maximum (1-RM), 1 set of 3 repetitions of back squat at 85% 1-RM with 20% variable resistance training (VRT), 30%VRT, or 40%VRT of the total load coming from the elastic band. Countermovement jump performance was assessed before (baseline), 30 seconds, 3 minutes, 6 minutes, and 9 minutes following each condition. Jump height, rate of force development, peak power, and vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and medial gastrocnemius electromyography data were collected. Compared with the baseline, 30%VRT significantly improved jump height at 3 minutes post-exercise by 1.3 cm (P &lt; 0.001) and 6 minutes post-exercise by 1.2 cm (P = 0.005); 40%VRT significantly improved jump height from 30 seconds up to the 9th minute (1.2 to 1.9 cm, P ≤ 0.036). The superior jump height was also accompanied by improved kinetic and electromyography data. No significant changes were observed in the barbell back squat and 20%VRT conditions. In conclusion, back squat at 85% 1-RM with 40% elastic band resistance led to superior vertical jump performance with an optimal time window of 3 minutes.

Transitioning Into The Competitive Season: Effects On Quality Of Life In Collegiate Basketball Players

Transitioning Into The Competitive Season: Effects On Quality Of Life In Collegiate Basketball Players

Sleep Disturbance And Injuries In Collegiate Soccer And Basketball Players

Sleep Disturbance And Injuries In Collegiate Soccer And Basketball Players

Poster 382: A Multi-Center Epidemiologic Analysis of the Injuries Affecting Female and Male Collegiate Basketball Players

Objectives: Basketball is a high-intensity sport associated with acute and overuse injuries in both females and males. With the growing popularity of basketball at all levels domestically and globally, there has been an increased emphasis in understanding the injury patterns of these athletes. A large proportion of the current literature on basketball injuries utilize publicly available websites to obtain medical data. Thus, there is a need for prospectively collected data from healthcare professionals as it pertains to basketball injuries. By utilizing a conference-specific injury database, this study sought to characterize the types of injuries affecting elite intercollegiate female and male basketball players. Upon establishing commonly recognized injury patterns as well as associated return to sport data, this study can potentially help guide prevention and treatment protocols. Methods: A blinded conference-specific injury database was utilized to perform a retrospective review of injuries for male and female Division I collegiate basketball players from 2017 to 2021. Analysis included musculoskeletal injuries stratified by anatomic location, gender, time missed and injury diagnosis. Time missed was categorized as no time away from sport, less than three weeks away from sport and more than three weeks away from sport. “Estimated athlete risk per year” was used as a surrogate for risk per athlete-year since observation periods were not known for each individual athlete due to the data being blinded. On average, athletes were followed for 2.3 years, which assumes an equal number of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors per year and no athletes transferring/quitting. To estimate athlete exposure hours (AEH), total season length in weeks was multiplied by 20 hours per week as this is the maximum duration of sport-related activity according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association bylaws. Team rosters as well as season start and end dates were obtained from publicly available schedules on the Pac-12 website. Injury rate (IR) per 1000 AEHs was calculated by the following formula: IR per 1000 AEH= [(Number of total in-season injuries) / (Season length in weeks * 20 hrs / week * number of athletes on the team)] * 1000. Relative risk (RR) was used to compare estimated athlete risk per year between genders with statistical significance being defined by a 95% confidence interval (CI) not including one (p &lt; 0.05). Results: A total of 663 college basketball players out of 853 (77.7%) suffered 4532 total injuries. Significantly more females suffered an injury (314 out of 360, 87.2%) when compared to males (349 of 493, 70.8%; RR: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.15 - 1.32]). The most common injuries across genders were ankle and hindfoot injuries accounting for 1007 out of 4532 (22.2%), knee injuries accounting for 750 injuries (16.5%), head/face injuries accounting for 532 injuries (11.7%), forefoot injuries accounting for 446 injuries (9.8%) and hand/wrist/forearm injuries accounting for 359 injuries (7.9%). Women were significantly more likely to suffer a knee injury (RR: 1.49 [95% CI: 1.27-1.75]), a head/face injury (RR: 1.32 [95% CI: 1.09-1.60]) or a midfoot/forefoot injury (RR: 1.42 [95% CI: 1.14-1.76]) (Table 1). Although ankle sprains were the most common injury, 259 ankle sprains out of 660 (39.2%) did not result in any time away from sport and 306 ankle sprains (46.4%) resulted in time away from sport but less than three weeks. One hundred and ninety-one concussions affected 146 out of 853 athletes (17.1%). Eighty-two out of 360 female athletes (22.8%) suffered a concussion as compared to 64 out of 493 male athletes (13.0%; RR: 1.23, [95% CI: 1.15-1.32]). Return to sport data was not specified for 22 out of 191 concussions. Of the remaining 169 concussions, 17 (10.1%) resulted in more than three weeks away from sport (Table 2). Conclusions: Lower extremity injuries were expectedly the most common injuries seen in both male and female basketball players, however these injuries did not result in substantial periods of missed playing time. Most current injury prevention strategies and proprioceptive training exercises focus on the lower extremity, with the ankles in particular. The current study, however, demonstrates that basketball players suffer from a variety of injuries suggesting that injury prevention techniques should be expanded to include all areas of the body. Females suffered significantly more injuries than males. Specifically, females suffered more knee injuries, head/face injuries, midfoot/forefoot injuries and concussions. Variations in anatomy, muscle strength and proprioceptive patterns are all possible rationales for this increased injury rate in females, however the definitive rationale is not completely understood. One additional possible rationale is that psychosocial factors have been shown to cause males to underreport symptoms. Understanding the injury patterns and the prognoses of such injuries can help physicians guide the expectations of these athletes, optimize the patient-athlete relationship and ultimately keep our collegiate basketball players safe. [Table: see text][Table: see text]

Not a Student, Not an Athlete, a Person

College athletics can place immense demands on athletes in terms of time commitment, physical conditioning, and pressure to perform. However, one important but less visible dimension affected by participation is one’s identity. College athletes hold multiple identities (Sturm et al., 2011) and these identities are further refined through their experiences (Chang et al., 2018). However, much less is known about athletes’ cognitive awareness of others’ perceptions and how those opinions influence athletes’ sense of self. In the present work, 52 Division I collegiate basketball players took part in a qualitative survey focused on understanding their athletic experience based on interactions with others. Responses revealed that athletes had dichotomous beliefs when addressing their perceptions of self and how they believed others viewed them, primarily based on the influence of sport. Conversely, athletes had more differing thoughts when discussing their aspirations and wishes for their future and often discussed professional goals, personality traits, and connections to others. Taken together, these results corroborate the desire (and need) for athletes to foster identities beyond their sport world (Stokowski et al., 2019) and for those who shape the sport experience to proactively work on behalf of athletes in this domain.

Acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during a 4-week basketball training: a small-sided game vs. high-intensity interval training.

Although previous research found that small-sided game (SSG) training was more enjoyable than high-intensity interval training (HIT) in various sports, no data were provided during longer training period in basketball. Furthermore, the comparison of internal loads between the two training approaches needs to be further examined. Thus, this study aimed to examine the acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during 4-week progressive basketball SSG or HIT programs. Nineteen female collegiate basketball players were randomly assigned to two groups that performed either HIT (n = 10) or SSG (n = 9) 3 times per week for 4 continuous weeks. Average and percentage of maximal heart rate (HRmean and %HRmax), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were determined during each training session. There was a main group effect in PACES (p < 0.001; = 0.44, moderate), and SSG had higher PACES than HIT in each week (p < 0.05). There were no significant interactions or main group effects in HRmean, %HRmax or RPE, but a main time effect was found in HRmean (p = 0.004; = 0.16, minimum), %HRmax (p < 0.001; = 0.25, minimum), and RPE (p < 0.001; = 0.31, moderate), respectively. In the SSG group, although no significant differences were found in HR responses, %HRmax was below 90% in week 1 and week 2. Accompanied with changes in %HRmax, RPE in week 1 and week 2 was lower than that in week 3 and week 4 (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that SSG and HIT elicit similar acute HR response and RPE level, but SSG is perceived as more enjoyable and therefore it is more likely to increase exercise motivation and adherence comparing to HIT. Moreover, it seems that half-court, 2 vs. 2 SS Gtraining format with modified rules and lasting ≥ 7.5 min should be prescribed as an enjoyable training alternative to provide optimal cardiovascular stimuli (> 90% of HRmax) for female basketball players.

Predicting ankle and knee sagittal kinematics and kinetics using an ankle-mounted inertial sensor

The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning model to reconstruct time series kinematic and kinetic profiles of the ankle and knee joint across six different tasks using an ankle-mounted IMU. Four male collegiate basketball players performed repeated tasks, including walking, jogging, running, sidestep cutting, max-height jumping, and stop-jumping, resulting in a total of 102 movements. Ankle and knee flexion-extension angles and moments were estimated using motion capture and inverse dynamics and considered ‘actual data’ for the purpose of model fitting. Synchronous acceleration and angular velocity data were collected from right ankle-mounted IMUs. A time-series feature extraction model was used to determine a set of features used as input to a random forest regression model to predict the ankle and knee kinematics and kinetics. Five-fold cross-validation was performed to verify the model accuracy, and statistical parametric mapping was used to determine the difference between the predicted and experimental time series. The random forest regression model predicted the time-series profiles of the ankle and knee flexion-extension angles and moments with high accuracy (Kinematics: R2 ranged from 0.782 to 0.962, RMSE ranged from 2.19° to 11.58°; Kinetics: R2 ranged from 0.711 to 0.966, RMSE ranged from 0.10 Nm/kg to 0.41 Nm/kg). There were differences between predicted and actual time series for the knee flexion-extension moment during stop-jumping and walking. An appropriately trained feature-based regression model can predict time series knee and ankle joint angles and moments across a wide range of tasks using a single ankle-mounted IMU.

Effects of Early Sports Specialization on Collegiate Basketball Players: Injury, Career Outcomes, and Gender Differences

Effects of Early Sports Specialization on Collegiate Basketball Players: Injury, Career Outcomes, and Gender Differences

Monitoring Countermovement Jump Performance for Division I Basketball Players over the Competitive Season

The ability to monitor and maintain player readiness and fatigue is paramount to the success of a basketball team over the competitive season. Countermovement jumps (CMJ) are a popular method of quantifying neuromuscular performance and readiness of athletes. Since conference play at the end of the season is when players are needed to perform at their best, a CMJ can also be used to monitor lower body fatigue. Previous research is inconclusive regarding the impact of a competitive season on player fatigue and readiness. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the changes in neuromuscular readiness and lower body power over the duration of a competitive season in male collegiate basketball players. CMJ data of nine collegiate basketball players, who played in all the conference games and conference tournament games, were analyzed. All players were assessed at the beginning of and throughout the season. Players performed CMJs twice each week. A players’ best CMJ performance and the preceding jump (so two consecutive jumps) were averaged for this analysis. In addition to jump height, time to take-off, average relative propulsive power, and modified reactive strength index (mRSI) were measured. Players either maintained or improved their vertical jump height over the competitive playing season. There was a significant increase in jump height during the 18-week period of competitive play. There was no statistical change in time to takeoff, over the 18-week period. Although 7 players improved their average relative propulsive power over the competitive season, there was no significant difference statistically. No statistical change was seen for modified reactive strength index. The results of this study did not see a decline in neuromuscular readiness or lower body power over the duration of a competitive season in male collegiate basketball players. Previous studies have reported a decrease in strength and power at the conclusion of the competitive season. Based on results from this study, the ability of the players to produce force quickly was not negatively impacted by games, travel, strength training and practice stress. Monitoring CMJ performance is a valuable method for coaches trying to maintain player’s neuromuscular readiness and lower body power during a competitive Division I basketball season.

Muscle-Specific Contributions to Vertical Ground Reaction Force Profiles During Countermovement Jumps: Case Studies in College Basketball Players.

Kipp, K and Kim, H. Muscle-specific contributions to vertical ground reaction force profiles during countermovement jumps: case studies in college basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1523-1529, 2023-The purpose of this study was to determine muscle-specific contributions to various types of vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) profiles in collegiate basketball players. Players from a men's ( n = 5; height: 1.84 ± 0.14 m; mass: 92.8 ± 11.4 kg) and a women's ( n = 5; 1.71 ± 0.09 m; mass: 80.1 ± 17.6 kg) basketball team completed 3-5 countermovement jumps (CMJ) while motion capture and force plate data were recorded. Muscle-specific contributions to vGRF were calculated through vGRF decomposition analysis. Profiles of vGRF were analyzed based on the presence of unimodal or bimodal peaks during the CMJ. The results showed that the soleus (SOL), gastrocnemii (GAS), vastii (VAS), and gluteus maximus (GMX) muscles all contributed to upward vGRF generation throughout the entire CMJ duration. The contributions were greatest for the SOL (1.78 body weight [BW]), intermediate for the GAS (0.96 BW) and VAS (0.72 BW), and negligible for the GMX (0.11 BW). For unimodal vGRF profiles, SOL contributions coincided with peak vGRF, whereas VAS contributions were stable throughout most of the CMJ. For bimodal vGRF profiles, SOL and VAS contributions explained the presence of the first vGRF peak, whereas GAS and VAS contributions explained the second vGRF peak. Differences between vGRF profiles appear to be the result of distinct force contributions from the VAS muscle, which may have implications for the analysis of vGRF time series data during CMJ testing.

Impacts of mental fatigue and sport specific film sessions on basketball shooting tasks

ABSTRACT Purpose The aim of this investigation was to examine the impact of mental fatigue on basketball specific shooting performance, utilising the newly developed basketball Standardized Shooting Task (SST). Methods Fifteen male elite NCAA Division 1 collegiate basketball players (Age 20.2 ± 1.2 y, height 199.3 ± 7.1 cm, body mass 93.1 ± 8.6 kg) volunteered to participate in a randomised, counterbalanced crossover design undergoing three conditions (Control, Stroop, and Film). The task, performed on three consecutive days, was comprised of 60 free throw attempts followed by a 4-minute spot-to-spot shooting. Results Visual Analog Scales revealed significantly higher levels of mental fatigue following the Stroop (54.2 ± 24.5) condition compared to the Control (24.5 ± 16.2) and higher levels of mental effort in the Stroop (61.0 ± 31.3) and Film (49.9 ± 27.7) compared to the Control (14.0 ± 18.5). No significant differences were observed for Motivation among groups (p > 0.05). There was a significant decrease (p = 0.006) in number of shots made in 4-minutes (MAKE4MIN; control = 49.5 ± 10.2, Stroop = 44.0 ± 10.6, and Film = 45.1 ± 11.7) and shots missed in 4-minutes (MISS4MIN; control = 27.3 ± 7.0, Stroop = 30.9 ± 7.1, and Film = 30.9 ± 7.6). No significant differences were detected for any other performance variables. Conclusion These data demonstrate that mental fatigue negatively impacts basketball shooting performance in elite collegiate basketball players. We suggest that practitioners and coaches encourage athletes to abstain from cognitively demanding tasks prior to basketball competition.

Effects of Fatigue in Lower Back Muscles on Basketball Jump Shots and Landings

<strong>Introduction:</strong> The aim of this study was to explore effects of fatigue in lower back muscles on the performance of countermovement jumps (CMJ), jump shots (JS) and landing impact. <strong>Methods:</strong> Twelve male healthy collegiate basketball players (age: 22.8 ± 2.7 yrs, stature: 178.0 ± 5.1 cm, body mass: 74.5 ± 6.8 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. Data were collected utilizing a 3D motion analysis system, force plate, and surface electromyography. Field-goal percentage, the lowest point of the center of mass (CoM), the angles of joints during taking off phase and landing, and the electromyography parameters of the rectus femoris, erector spinae lumbalis, and of the lower limbs when performing CMJ and JS were recorded. Lower back muscle fatigue intervention was introduced and followed by a post-test to explore the effects of fatigue in the lower back muscles. Statistical analysis was performed using paired-samples <em>t</em>-test. <strong>Results:</strong> After lower back muscle fatigue, field-goal percentages dropped, and lowest point of CoM was increased during JS. Ankle plantar flexion of the hopping leg during CMJ and JS increased, and their knee flexion angles of the hopping leg were reduced when landing. CMJ and JS changed the contribution ratio of both legs after low back fatigue. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Temporary low back muscles fatigue decreased the athletes’ performance and causes a change in landing strategy.

Reliability and Effectiveness of a Lateral Countermovement Jump for Stratifying Shuffling Performance Amongst Elite Basketball Players.

Though research suggests that basketball players spend approximately 31% of game actions shuffling laterally, limited data are available on the kinetic factors that separate fast and slow shufflers. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1.) Examine the reliability of kinetic metrics from a single-leg Lateral Countermovement Jump (LCMJ) (2.) Determine if kinetic metrics from the LCMJ can stratify above (i.e., "fast") or below (i.e., "slow") median shuffling performance. Twenty professional basketball players participated in the reliability study (21.7 ± 3.5 years, 1.98 ± 0.1 m; 89.9 ± 10.9 kg). One hundred seven professional and thirty-three collegiate basketball players (N = 140) (22.7 ± 3.5 years, 2.0 ± 0.1 m; 98.4 ± 11.9 kg) participated in the experimental study examining the ability of LCMJ kinetics to stratify shuffling performance. Reliability was assessed using Bland-Altman plots, coefficients of variation (CVs), typical errors (TEs), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Anthropometric and LCMJ kinetic differences between fast and slow shufflers were assessed with an independent t-test. Four kinetic metrics (peak vertical force, peak lateral force, relative lateral force, and lateral impulse) met within- and between-session reliability thresholds (CV &lt; 10% and ICC &gt; 0.70). Faster shufflers generated significantly more relative lateral force than their slower counterparts (9.51 ± 0.8 Nx/kg vs. 8.9 ± 0.9 Nx/kg, %Diff 6.3, p &lt; 0.00007, ES = 0.70). Basketball practitioners who have access to triaxial force plates may consider adding the LCMJ into their testing battery, as relative lateral force is a reliable metric that can stratify fast and slow shufflers.