Neuromuscular Characteristics Research Articles

Effects of dynamic stretching of different duration on lower limb flexibility in male sport dancers: A randomized controlled trial

In the field of sports training and teaching, stretching is regarded as a highly valuable technique, particularly in its capacity to facilitate gradual acclimatization of the body to the exercise state during the warm-up session and as a means of enhancing flexibility qualities. As the research on athletic training continues to deepen, the discussion on the respective advantages of static stretching and dynamic stretching is becoming increasingly prominent. In this study, dynamic stretching was selected as the primary intervention to investigate the effects of varying durations of dynamic stretching on the flexibility of the legs of male students majoring in sport dance, with a particular focus on the underlying biomechanical mechanisms. Method: The subjects were 40 male first- and second-year students majoring in physical education dance at Yichun College, randomly assigned to one of four groups of 10 students each. The methodology comprised a dynamic stretching warm-up and quality training prior to the commencement of regular sports dance teaching, after which the basic teaching session was initiated. The study employed SPSS 22.0 software to conduct a T-test to analyze the effects of different stretching durations on flexibility. SPSS 22.0 software was utilized to perform a T-test. Biomechanical parameters such as muscle fiber recruitment patterns, joint range of motion, and force generation during stretching were also measured and analyzed. Results: (1) Dynamic stretching in warm-ups and training can boost lower limb flexibility. Biomechanically, this is attributed to the activation of specific muscle groups and the modulation of connective tissue properties. A significant difference observed between dominant and non-dominant limbs, which may be related to differences in neuromuscular control and muscle fiber composition. (2) A 20-minute stretch in warm-ups and a 30-minute stretch in training were best for flexibility, showing a more pronounced effect on the dominant side. This could be due to the dominant limb's greater ability to generate force and adapt to biomechanical stress, as well as its more efficient neuromuscular coordination. (3) The right side, which corresponds to the dominant limb in most subjects, improved more than the left with dynamic stretching. This could be attributed to the greater neural activation and muscle recruitment efficiency, which are key biomechanical factors in the stretching response. (4) Although dynamic stretching is slower than static stretching in enhancing flexibility, consistent sessions exceeding 20 minutes can still yield positive results for both limbs though the dominant limb may benefit more initially., likely due to its pre-existing biomechanical advantages and more refined neuromuscular pathways. Conclusion: Dynamic stretching effectively improves lower limb flexibility, though more slowly than static stretching. Regular sessions over 20 min, especially 20-minute warm-ups and 30-minute training, can notably enhance flexibility, with a significant impact on the dominant limb, suggesting that while non-dominant limbs also benefit, the dominant limb may require less time to achieve similar flexibility improvements due to its inherent biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics.

Exploring the Interplay of Handgrip Neuromuscular, Morphological, and Psychological Characteristics in Tactical Athletes and General Population: Gender- and Occupation-Based Specific Patterns

Background/Objectives: The correlation of handgrip strength (HGS) and morphological characteristics with Big Five personality traits is well documented. However, it is unclear whether these relationships also exist in highly trained and specialized populations, such as tactical athletes, and whether there are specific differences compared to the general population. This study aimed to explore the interplay of handgrip neuromuscular, morphological, and psychological characteristics in tactical athletes and the general population of both genders. Methods: The research was conducted on a sample of 205 participants. A standardized method, procedure, and equipment (Sports Medical solutions) were used to measure the isometric neuromuscular characteristics of the handgrip. Basic morphological characteristics of body height, body mass, and body mass index were measured with a portable stadiometer and the InBody 720 device. Psychological characteristics were assessed with the Mental Toughness Index and Dark Triad Dirty Dozen questionnaires. Results: Numerous significant correlations were obtained, as well as differences between tactical athletes and the general population of both genders. The most prominent correlations were between the excitation index with Psychopathy and the Dark Triad (ρ = −0.41, −0.39) in female tactical athletes, as well as Neuroticism with body height, maximal force, and the maximum rate of force development in the male general population (ρ = 0.49, 0.43, 0.41). The obtained results also revealed gender and occupational specific patterns of researched relationships. Conclusions: Although the results of this study indicated the possibility of the existence of correlations between handgrip neuromuscular, morphological, and psychological characteristics in tactical athletes of both genders, nevertheless, at the moment, there is not enough solid evidence for that. That is why new research is needed. An analysis of muscle contractile and time parameters as neuromuscular indicators in the HGS task proved to be a possible promising method, which brought numerous new insights about the researched relationships. For practical application in the field, we propose including Mental Toughness and the Dark Triad traits in the selection process for future police officers and national security personnel based on the obtained results.

Comparison of Vertical Jump Force-Time Metrics Between ACL-Injured and Healthy Semi-Professional Male and Female Soccer Players.

Given the increasing use of innovative force plate systems in applied sports settings and the impact that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have on team success, the purpose of the present study was to compare the lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics of athletes who underwent ACL reconstruction (ACLR) and their non-injured counterparts (i.e., healthy controls). Forty-five male (thirteen injured) and twenty-six female (ten injured) semi-professional soccer players volunteered to participate in the present study. Each athlete performed three countermovement vertical jumps (CMJs) while standing on a uniaxial force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz. The injured athletes completed a nine-month recovery protocol and were screened 11-13 months post-ACLR. The dependent variables included the force-time metrics within both the eccentric and concentric phases of the CMJ. Independent t-tests or Mann-Whitney U-test were used to examine statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences in each variable (i.e., ACL-injured vs. healthy controls). The results revealed no significant between-group differences in any CMJ force-time metrics of interest (e.g., concentric peak force, eccentric mean power, countermovement depth) between ACL-injured and non-injured athletes, including inter-limb asymmetry measures (i.e., peak takeoff and landing force). Besides implying the effectiveness of the implemented rehabilitation protocol, these findings suggest that the CMJ may not present a sufficient neuromuscular performance stimulus needed to expose lower-limb asymmetries and strength and power deficiencies 11-13 months post-ACLR.

Effects of Type II Diabetes on upper extremity muscle characteristics in older adults

With one in every four older adults living with T2D and one in every two older adults meeting the criteria for prediabetes, neuromuscular changes due to T2D are likely to impact functional activities in this population. Limited work in evaluating motor unit number and size across muscles in the upper extremity in persons with Type II Diabetes (T2D) exists, mostly due to the traditional belief bias that the upper extremity is relatively spared in T2D as compared to the lower extremities. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate motor unit number and size (using electrophysiological motor unit number index (MUNIX) and motor unit size index (MUSIX)) across the upper extremity in older adults with T2D (n = 13) as compared to healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 12). Persons with T2D presented with more motor units and larger motor unit sizes (p < 0.05) as compared to age- and sex-matched control participants. These changes were not dependent upon muscle location within a limb, indicating systemic neuromuscular changes associated with T2D. These group effects were clarified when health state covariates (e.g., blood pressure) were accounted for. Findings are consistent with emerging data that show altered neuromuscular characteristics with health state considerations in persons with T2D.

Neuromuscular synergy characteristics of Tai Chi leg stirrup movements: optimal coordination patterns throughout various phases.

To investigate the neuromuscular activity characteristics of Tai Chi athletes and identify optimal muscle synergy patterns. Data were collected from 12 elite Tai Chi athletes using a Vicon motion capture system, a Kistler 3D force plate, and a Noraxon surface electromyography system. Muscle synergy patterns were extracted using Non-negative Matrix Factorization. Four muscle synergy patterns were identified in each of the three phases of the leg stirrup movement, with the optimal synergy pattern for each phase determined as follows: knee lift phase: rectus femoris and vastus lateralis of the right leg; extension phase: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and medial gastrocnemius of the right leg; recovery phase: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and medial gastrocnemius of the right leg. These patterns explain the muscle coordination activities for each phase. This study identified the optimal muscle synergy patterns for each phase, supporting the fluidity and force generation of the leg stirrup movement. This provides Tai Chi athletes with a more efficient way to exert strength and maintain balance.

Neuromuscular characteristics of eccentric, concentric and isometric contractions of the knee extensors.

We compared voluntary drive and corticospinal responses during eccentric (ECC), isometric (ISOM) and concentric (CON) muscle contractions to shed light on neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the lower voluntary drive in a greater force production in ECC than other contractions. Sixteen participants (20-33 years) performed ISOM and isokinetic (30°/s) CON and ECC knee extensor contractions (110°-40° knee flexion) in which electromyographic activity (EMG) was recorded from vastus lateralis. Voluntary activation (VA) was measured during ISOM, CON and ECC maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs). Transcranial magnetic stimulation elicited motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and corticospinal silent periods (CSP) during MVCs and submaximal (30%) contractions, and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) in submaximal contractions. MVC torque was greater (P < 0.01) during ECC (302.6 ± 90.0 Nm) than ISOM (269.8 ± 81.5 Nm) and CON (235.4 ± 78.6 Nm), but VA was lower (P < 0.01) for ECC (68.4 ± 14.9%) than ISOM (78.3 ± 13.1%) and CON (80.7 ± 15.4%). In addition, EMG/torque was lower (P < 0.02) for ECC (1.9 ± 1.1μV.Nm-1) than ISOM (2.2 ± 1.2μV.Nm-1) and CON (2.7 ± 1.6μV.Nm-1), CSP was shorter (p < 0.04) for ECC (0.097 ± 0.03s) than ISOM (0.109 ± 0.02s) and CON (0.109 ± 0.03s), and MEP amplitude was lower (P < 0.01) for ECC (3.46 ± 1.67mV) than ISOM (4.21 ± 2.33mV) and CON (4.01 ± 2.06mV). Similar results were found for EMG/torque and CSP during 30% contractions, but MEP and SICI showed no differences among contractions (p > 0.05). The lower voluntary drive indicated by reduced VA during ECC may be partly explained by lower corticospinal excitability, while the shorter CSP may reflect extra muscle spindle excitation of the motoneurons from vastus lateralis muscle lengthening.

The Association between Specimen Neuromuscular Characteristics and Urinary Incontinence after Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

RARP specimens from 29 men who underwent bilateral nerve sparing were reanalyzed. Urinary incontinence was evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) at 6 weeks post surgery and last follow-up. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess neuromuscular characteristics and incontinence. At the 1-year follow-up, 11 patients (38%) reported severe incontinence (>12 ICIQ-SF score). The median number of peripheral nerves observed at the base and apex in the specimens was 52 (IQR 13-139) and 59 (IQR: 28-129), respectively. Ganglia were present in 19 patients (65%) at the base and 12 patients (41%) at the apex. Additionally, the median proportional area of detrusor smooth muscle fibers at the base was 0.54 (IQR 0.31-1), while the median proportional area of striated muscle fibers at the apex was 0.13 (IQR 0.08-0.24). No statistically significant associations were found. Histologic neuromuscular characteristics were not associated with postoperative urinary incontinence. Enhanced intraoperative evaluation and larger-scale studies may prove useful for the prediction of postprostatectomy incontinence.

The Impact of the Official Basketball Champions League Game on Lower-Body Neuromuscular Performance Characteristics

Abstract Cabarkapa, D, Cabarkapa, DV, Aleksic, J, Mihajlovic, F, and Fry, AC. The impact of the official Basketball Champions League game on lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics. J Strength Cond Res 38(10): e595–e599, 2024—Considering the extensive use of force plate technology in an applied sports setting and the lack of scientific literature during the actual competition, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the acute impact of an official basketball game on lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics. Eight professional male basketball players volunteered to participate in this investigation. Upon completion of a standardized warm-up procedure, each athlete performed 3 maximum-effort countermovement vertical jumps (CVJs) with no arm swing while standing on a uniaxial force plate system sampling at 1,000 Hz. Then, 3 days after the baseline testing procedures, the athletes completed an identical CVJ testing protocol immediately after the completion of an official basketball game. Paired sample t-tests were used to examine statistically significant pregame and postgame differences in CVJ performance (p &lt; 0.05). The findings reveal that force-time metrics examined during both eccentric and concentric phases of the CVJ tend to remain relatively unchanged in response to the game stimulus. Also, no differences in outcome metrics such as vertical jump height and reactive strength index-modified have been observed. However, despite not reaching the level of statistical significance, it should be noted that eccentric peak velocity, force, and power did demonstrate a moderate decrease postgame when compared with the baseline measurements (g = 0.509–0.627), suggesting that the eccentric phase of the jumping movement might be more sensitive in detecting acute fatigue-induced performance changes within this specific group of professional athletes.

Does the short-term learning effect impact vertical jump performance assessment on a portable force plate system?

One of the reoccurring questions that arises during the countermovement vertical jump (CVJ) assessment is whether the learning effect has an impact on the accuracy of the results obtained. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine the impact of the short-term learning effect on the assessment of lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics when performed on a portable one-dimensional force plate system. Sixteen recreationally active college-age males volunteered to participate in the present study. Each participant completed four sets of three non-consecutive CVJs with no arm swing throughout a single day. Besides strong verbal encouragement, participants were constantly instructed to focus on pushing the ground as explosively as possible. Fourteen force-time metrics were selected for CVJ performance analysis purposes: eccentric and concentric peak and mean force and power, eccentric and concentric duration, contraction time, jump height, reactive strength index-modified, and countermovement depth. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine statistically significant differences across four testing time points (p < 0.05). The results indicate an absence of any meaningful differences across four testing time points in force-time metrics of interest during both eccentric and concentric phases of the CVJ. Moreover, no differences were observed in CVJ outcome metrics such as countermovement depth, suggesting that the movement strategy tends to remain consistent. Overall, these findings reveal that CVJ test repeatability is not affected by the short-term learning effect and that data are stable at least within the scope of this study and within this population.

Comparison of physical fitness level among different competition categories in women's basketball

Acquiring good levels of physical fitness in women's basketball is crucial for success in this complex sport. Thus, the objective of the research is to compare the level of physical fitness in women's basketball between different competitive categories through a systematic review. For this purpose, four databases were consulted (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scielo and LILACS) in Portuguese, Spanish and/or English, in which 32 primary scientific articles were found on physical fitness in women's basketball in the competitive categories and 51 manuscripts complementary secondary about the theme. Physical fitness indicators are divided into anthropometric, metabolic and neuromuscular. Each indicator has a series of variables whose sum will allow us to understand the athlete's actual physical fitness status. The physical training of female players follows the same guidelines as male athletes, but three aspects deserve attention when prescribing programs: menstrual cycle, eating disorders and bone mineral loss. In addition, cardiovascular and neuromuscular characteristics distinguish genders and interfere with physical fitness gains. In general results, professional basketball players presented better averages in the group of indicators (63.1%), followed by formative (21.0%), college (10.5%) and semi-professional (5.26%) players. Finally, it was evident that as female players progress in chronological age, they mature biologically and acquire training support, advancing between the competitive categories. In this way, your physical fitness comes to denote improvement. However, there is a large individual biological variability that impacts the average numbers between the indicators.

A Study of the Effects of Motor Experience on Neuromuscular Control Strategies During Sprint Starts.

Much of the current research on sprint start has attempted to analyze the biomechanical characteristics of elite athletes to provide guidance on the training of sprint technique, with less attention paid to the effects of motor experience gained from long-term training on neuromuscular control characteristics. The present study attempted to investigate the effect of motor experience on the modular organization of the neuromuscular system during starting, based on he clarification of the characteristics of muscle synergies during starting. It was found that exercise experience did not promote an increase in the number of synergies but rather a more focused timing of the activation of each synergy, allowing athletes to quickly complete the postural transition from crouching to running during the starting.

Differences in anthropometric and vertical jump force-time characteristics between U16 and U18 female basketball players.

Considering the importance of body composition and lower-body strength and power for basketball players' on-court performance, as well as a lack of sports science research focused on female athletes, the purpose of the present investigation was to record the anthropometric and countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) characteristics of top-tier U16 and U18 female basketball players and examine between-group differences in the aforementioned tests. Thirty-two athletes who were a part of the national basketball academy volunteered to participate in the present investigation. Following the body composition assessment conducted via a segmental multifrequency bioimpedance analyzer, athletes performed three CMJs while standing on a force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to examine between-group differences. The findings reveal significant differences in body composition and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics between female basketball players ages 16 and 18. Although no differences were observed in muscle and body fat percentages, the U18 group had significantly greater height, overall body mass (both muscle and fat mass), as well as greater segmental fat-free mass (trunk, both legs and arms), intracellular and extracellular water, and body mass index when compared to their U16 counterparts. On the other hand, the U18 group demonstrated longer eccentric, concentric, and braking phase duration, as well as overall contraction time when compared to the U16 players. In addition, the U18 athletes exhibited higher eccentric mean force and power, concentric impulse, peak power, and mean and peak force.

Pedaling Asymmetry Reflected by Bilateral EMG Complexity in Chronic Stroke.

This study examines pedaling asymmetry using the electromyogram (EMG) complexity of six bilateral lower limb muscles for chronic stroke survivors. Fifteen unilateral chronic stroke and twelve healthy participants joined passive and volitional recumbent pedaling tasks using a self-modified stationary bike with a constant speed of 25 revolutions per minute. The fuzzy approximate entropy (fApEn) was adopted in EMG complexity estimation. EMG complexity values of stroke participants during pedaling were smaller than those of healthy participants (p = 0.002). For chronic stroke participants, the complexity of paretic limbs was smaller than that of non-paretic limbs during the passive pedaling task (p = 0.005). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between clinical scores and the paretic EMG complexity during passive pedaling (p = 0.022, p = 0.028), indicating that the paretic EMG complexity during passive movement might serve as an indicator of stroke motor function status. This study suggests that EMG complexity is an appropriate quantitative tool for measuring neuromuscular characteristics in lower limb dynamic movement tasks for chronic stroke survivors.

Comparison of vertical jump and sprint performances between 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 elite professional male basketball players.

Given its fast-growing popularity and unique on-court competitive demands, 3 × 3 basketball has captured a considerable amount of attention over recent years. However, unlike research focused on studying 5 × 5 basketball players, there is a lack of scientific literature focused on examining countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) and sprint performance characteristics of 3 × 3 athletes. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to compare force-time metrics during both eccentric and concentric phases of the CMJ and acceleration and deceleration capabilities between 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 top-tier professional male basketball athletes. Ten 3 × 3 and eleven 5 × 5 professional basketball players volunteered to participate in the present study. Upon completion of a standardized warm-up, each athlete performed three maximum-effort CMJs, followed by two 10 m sprints. A uni-axial force plate system sampling at 1,000 Hz was used to analyze CMJ force-time metrics and a radar gun sampling at 47 Hz was used to derive sprint acceleration-deceleration measures. Independent t-tests and Hedge's g were used to examine between-group statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) and effect size magnitudes. The findings of the present study reveal that 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 professional male basketball players tend to display similar neuromuscular performance characteristics as no significant differences were observed in any force-time metric during both eccentric and concentric phases of the CMJ (g = 0.061-0.468). Yet, prominent differences were found in multiple measures of sprint performance, with large effect size magnitudes (g = 1.221-1.881). Specifically, 5 × 5 basketball players displayed greater average and maximal deceleration and faster time-to-stop than their 3 × 3 counterparts. Overall, these findings provide reference values that sports practitioners can use when assessing athletes' CMJ and sprint performance capabilities as well as when developing sport-specific training regimens to mimic on-court competitive demands.

Can neuromuscular differences manifest by early adolescence in males between predominantly endurance and strength sports?

Although neuromuscular function varies significantly between strength and endurance-trained adult athletes, it has yet to be ascertained whether such differences manifest by early adolescence. The aim of the present study was to compare knee extensor neuromuscular characteristics between adolescent athletes who are representative of strength (wrestling) or endurance (triathlon) sports. Twenty-three triathletes (TRI), 12 wrestlers (WRE) and 12 untrained (CON) male adolescents aged 13 to 15years participated in the present study. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) knee extensor (KE) torque was measured, and 100-Hz magnetic doublets were delivered to the femoral nerve during and after KE MVIC to quantify the voluntary activation level (%VA). The doublet peak torque (T100Hz) and normalized vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) EMG (EMG/M-wave) activities were quantified. VL and RF muscle architecture was also assessed at rest using ultrasound. Absolute and relative (to body mass) KE MVIC torques were significantly higher in WRE than TRI and CON (p < 0.05), but comparable between TRI and CON. No significant differences were observed between groups for %VA, T100Hz or either VL or RF muscle thickness. However, VL EMG/M-wave was higher, RF fascicle length longer, and pennation angle smaller in WRE than TRI and CON (all p < 0.05). The wrestlers were stronger than triathletes and controls, potentially as a result of muscle architectural differences and a greater neural activation. Neuromuscular differences can already be detected by early adolescence in males between predominantly endurance and strength sports, which may result from selection bias and/or physical training.

Association between match-related physical activity profiles and playing positions in different tasks: A data driven approach

ABSTRACT Assessing the intensity characteristics of specific soccer drills (matches, small-side game, and match-based exercises) could help practitioners to plan training sessions by providing the optimal stimulus for every player. In this paper, we propose a data analytics framework to assess the neuromuscular or metabolic characteristics of a soccer-specific exercise in relation with the expected match intensity. GPS data describing the physical tasks’ external intensity during an entire season of twenty-eight semi-professional soccer players competing at the fourth Italian division were used in this study. A supervised machine-learning approach was tested in order to detect difference in playing positions in different sport-specific drills. Moreover, a non-supervised machine-learning model was used to profile the match neuromuscular and metabolic characteristics. Players’ playing positions during matches and match-based exercises are characterised by specific metabolic and neuromuscular characteristics related to tactical demands, while in the small-side game these differences are not detected. Additionally, our framework permits to evaluate if the match performance request is mirrored during training drills. Practitioners could evaluate the type of stimulus performed by a player in a specific training drill in order to assess if they reflect the matches characteristics of their specific playing position.

Biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics in patients with traumatic anterior shoulder instability undergoing arthroscopic Bankart repair: a clinical prospective cohort study protocol

IntroductionTraumatic shoulder dislocation is a common shoulder injury, especially among the young and active population. More than 95% of dislocations are anterior, in which the humeral head is forced beyond...

Relationship between sleep quality and quantity and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics in semi-professional male basketball players.

Sleep has been recognized as one of the most essential recovery methods necessary for achieving optimal performance. However, there is still a lack of scientific literature focused on examining its impact on one of the most prevalent skills in the game of basketball, the countermovement vertical jump (CVJ). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between sleep quality and quantity, and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics within a cohort of semi-professional male basketball players. Twenty-eight athletes competing in a first-tier regional league in Serbia volunteered to participate in this investigation. Upon arrival at the gym, all athletes completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) self-rated questionnaire. Immediately after completion of the PSQI, each athlete stepped on a force plate system and performed three maximum-effort CVJs with no arm swing. The following force-time metrics were obtained for the analysis: eccentric and concentric absolute and relative mean and peak force and power, vertical jump height, and reactive strength index-modified. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to examine the strength of the linear relationships between sleep quality and quantity and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics (p < 0.05). The results indicated that sleep quality appears to have a greater impact on the concentric than the eccentric phase of the CVJ (e.g., concentric mean force [r = -0.830; p < 0.001], relative concentric peak force [r = -0.466; p = 0.013, eccentric mean power (r = -0.162; p = 0.409)], while no significant relationship was found between sleep quantity and lower-body neuromuscular performance (e.g., concentric peak force [r = -0.055; p = 0.782], relative eccentric mean power [r = -0.301; p = 0.107]). Overall, these findings offer valuable insights into the importance of good sleep hygiene (e.g., efficiency, duration) in an athletic population, and can help practitioners develop more effective training and recovery programs.

Vertical Jump Neuromuscular Performance Characteristics Determining On-Court Contribution in Male and Female NCAA Division 1 Basketball Players.

While various quantifiable physical attributes have been found to contribute to athletes' performance, there is a lack of scientific literature focused on examining how they relate to success during competition performance. The aim of this study was to investigate different countermovement jump (CMJ)-derived force-time characteristics and their utility in distinguishing high from low performers within a measure of on-court contribution (i.e., minutes per game played). Twenty-nine collegiate athletes (n = 15 males and n = 14 females) volunteered to participate in this investigation and performed CMJs on dual force plates sampling at 1000 Hz, weekly over the course of their basketball season. The athletes' average of their three best test-days across the season was used for further analysis. To identify their on-court contribution, athletes were divided into groups with high and low minutes per game, based on a median-split analysis. The findings suggest that at the overall group level (i.e., both genders), the modified reactive strength index (mRSI) and braking rate of force development (RFD) revealed the greatest between-group magnitudes of difference, with athletes playing more minutes per game showing greater performance. At the team-specific level, the braking RFD, average braking velocity, and mRSI were shown to be the greatest differentiators between groups for the men's team. The women's high-minutes group displayed greater magnitudes of mRSI and jump height. By identifying the neuromuscular qualities seen in top performers within their respective populations, the attributed physical performance underpinning these qualities may be identified, providing practitioners with insights into physical performance qualities and training methodologies that have the potential to influence basketball performance.

Intermuscular Coherence during Quiet Standing in Sub-Acute Patients after Stroke: An Exploratory Study.

Asymmetrically impaired standing control is a prevalent disability among stroke patients; however, most of the neuromuscular characteristics are unclear. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate between-limb differences in intermuscular coherence during quiet standing. Consequently, 15 patients who had sub-acute stroke performed a quiet standing task without assistive devices, and electromyography was measured on the bilateral tibialis anterior (TA), soleus (SL), and medial gastrocnemius (MG). The intermuscular coherence of the unilateral synergistic (SL-MG) pair and unilateral antagonist (TA-SL and TA-MG) pairs in the delta (0-5 Hz) and beta (15-35 Hz) bands were calculated and compared between the paretic and non-paretic limbs. The unilateral synergistic SL-MG coherence in the beta band was significantly greater in the non-paretic limb than in the paretic limb (p = 0.017), while unilateral antagonist TA-MG coherence in the delta band was significantly greater in the paretic limb than in the non-paretic limb (p < 0.01). During quiet standing, stroke patients showed asymmetry in the cortical control of the plantar flexor muscles, and synchronous control between the antagonistic muscles was characteristic of the paretic limb. This study identified abnormal muscle activity patterns and asymmetrical cortical control underlying impaired standing balance in patients with sub-acute stroke using an intermuscular coherence analysis.