Experienced Handball Players Research Articles

Predicting Throwing Performance with Force-Velocity Mechanical Properties of the Upper Limb in Experienced Handball Players

Predicting Throwing Performance with Force-Velocity Mechanical Properties of the Upper Limb in Experienced Handball Players

Cognitive representations of handball tactic actions in athletes-The function of expertise and age.

The tactical cooperation for the optimal interaction of team members is an essential performance-determining variable in sports games. The underlying cognitive memory structures of cooperative tactical actions have so far been little researched. Therefore, this study investigated the cognitive memory structure of tactical knowledge of handball actions in teams of different expertise and age groups. In the first experiment, tactical mental representation structures (TMRS) of 30 adult handball players of two different level of expertise were investigated. In the second experiment, TMRS of 57 youth handball players from three age levels were investigated. In both experiments the TMRS was measured with the structure dimensional analysis of mental representation (SDA-M) method. The SDA-M commences with a splitting procedure of a given set of concepts and reveals with a cluster analysis the relational structures of the concepts on an individual and a group level. Experiment one revealed that the TMRS differed significantly between skilled either/or less experienced handball players. Skilled handball players showed a hierarchical organized representation that shared more features with the basic tactical structure of the handball game than less experienced players. The second experiment revealed age-related differences of the TMRS between the age groups of the U15, U17 and U19 teams. Further data analysis revealed significant differences of the TMRS between experienced and less experienced handball players and between local and regional competition level players. We conclude that our current findings suggest that tactical expertise is mediated by elaborate cognitive tactical knowledge in memory. Furthermore, our results indicate that tactical knowledge plays a substantial role during tactical skill learning as it differs as function of age, experience, and competition level. From this point of view, team representations of game situations can be seen as a crucial factor for efficient and common interaction in fast-paced team sports.

Reliability of Throwing Velocity during Non-specific and Specific Handball Throwing Tests.

Throwing velocity is one of the most important factors for scoring goals in handball. This study aimed to identify the type of throw and procedure for selecting the final test outcome that provide throwing velocity with the greatest reliability. Fifteen experienced handball players and 33 non-experienced participants were tested in two sessions. Each session consisted of 4 trials of 3 different throwing tests (unspecific, 7-meters, and 3-steps). The maximum value of 4 trials, average value of 4 trials, and average value of the 3 best trials were considered. Throwing velocity was highly reliable (coefficient of variation [CV]≤3.3%, intraclass correlation coefficient≥0.89) with the exception of the unspecific throw for the non-experienced group (CV≥5.9%, intraclass correlation coefficient≤0.56). The 3-steps throw (CV=1.7%) was more reliable than the 7-meters throw (CV=2.1%) (CVratio=1.19) and unspecific throw (CV = 3.8%) (CVratio=2.18), the 3 procedures provided a comparable reliability (CV range=2.4-2.6%; CVratio≤1.07), and the experienced group (CV=1.0%) presented a higher reliability than the non-experienced group (CV=4.0%) (CVratio=3.83). These results support the 3-steps throw to maximise the reliability of throwing velocity performance.

Comparing performance and kinematics of throwing with a circular and whip‐like wind up by experienced handball players

The aim of this study was to compare the performance (throwing velocity of the ball) and kinematics of overarm throwing with the circular and whip-like wind up in elite handball players. Twenty-two elite handball players (11 men and 11 women) conducted both types of throws. The ball release velocity, maximal ball acceleration, maximal velocity of the end points of the five segments and maximal angles, angles at ball release and maximal angular velocities of the 11 joint movements and their timing during the throw were analyzed. Significantly higher ball release velocities (21.9 m/s vs 20.6 m/s) were reached together with higher maximal linear velocities of the end points of all segments and longer throwing time with the circular wind up than with the whip-like wind up. Furthermore, it seems that the timing and amount of maximal angular pelvis rotation was the main contributor to the difference in the maximal ball release velocity between the two wind ups. The findings support the observation that overarm throwing with the circular wind up results in higher ball releases but also a longer throwing movement in comparison to whip-like wind up throws.

A Comparison of Kinematics Between Overarm Throwing With 20% Underweight, Regular, and 20% Overweight Balls

The aim of this study was to compare the kinematics in throwing with a regular weighted handball with 20% lighter and heavier balls in female experienced handball players. In total, eight joint movements during the throw were analyzed. The analysis consisted of maximal angles, angles at ball release, and maximal angular velocities of the joint movements and their timings during the throw. Results on 24 experienced female team handball players (mean age 18.2 ± 2.1 years) showed that the difference in ball weight affected the maximal ball velocity. The difference in ball release velocity was probably a result of the significant differences in kinematics of the major contributors to overarm throwing: elbow extension and internal rotation of the shoulder. These were altered when changing the ball weight, which resulted in differences in ball release velocity.

A Comparison of Overarm Throwing with the Dominant and Nondominant Arm in Experienced Team Handball Players

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy, velocity, and kinematics of throws with the dominant and nondominant arms in experienced handball players. Significant differences in throwing accuracy and ball velocity were found: decreased maximal velocities of the major joint movements and especially decreased internal rotation velocity of the shoulder. Timing differences in the onset of some joint movements, which resulted in an altered throwing pattern, could explain differences in the throwing velocity. Lower ball velocity was compensated by the increased ball release height, which was caused by an increased shoulder abduction and trunk tilt sideways angle at ball release.

A Three-Dimensional Analysis of Overarm Throwing in Experienced Handball Players

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of upper extremity, trunk, and lower extremity movements in overarm throwing in team handball. In total, 11 joint movements during the throw were analyzed. The analysis consists of maximal angles, angles at ball release, and maximal angular velocities of the joint movements and their timing during the throw. Only the elbow angle (extension movement range) and the level of internal rotation velocity of the shoulder at ball release showed a significant relationship with the throwing performance. Also, a significant correlation was found for the timing of the maximal pelvis angle with ball velocity, indicating that better throwers started to rotate their pelvis forward earlier during the throw. No other significant correlations were found, indicating that the role of the trunk and lower limb are of minor importance for team handball players.

Traumatic Ischemia of the Hand in a Tennis Player: Successful Treatment with Urokinase

vigorous play. We report a case of a 20year-old man with radial and ulnar artery thrombosis following a vigorous C E R T M N types of sport activities entail the risk of thrombosis of the arteries in the hand. Generally, these are related to direct repetitive trauma (such as in experienced handball players, baseball catchers, karate aficionados, frisbee players, and volleyball players) (1,2). High-frequency vibration from mechanical tools such as in jackhammer operators is also a risk factor (3,4). Thoracic outlet syndrome can cause aneurysms in the subclavian or axillary arteries with associated thrombosis or embolization (1). Athletes who perform vigorous shoulder movements such as baseball pitchers, kayakers, tennis players, golfers, and weight lifters have been identified as at risk for aneu1 rysms or arterial injury about the shoulder, presumably due to shearing of the arteries by the vigorous motion (1). To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of tennis players who ex~erienced hand ischemia related to i

A Comparative Study of Selected Handball Techniques

Abstract This study compared the effectiveness of the two most commonly used handball arm-hand actions in relation to (a) handball velocity, (b) time required to execute each stroke and (c) distance the striking hand travels during the propulsive phase of each stroke. Handball velocity was measured with the Hale Reaction-Performance Timer. The data for the remaining variables were obtained through cinematographical analysis. Eleven experienced handball players at Springfield College were selected as subjects. Velocity results indicated that significant differences existed between the flexion-extension and straight arm techniques. Differences between the two stroking techniques for execution time and hand distance traveled were found, although the data for these two variables were not scrutinized statistically.