Young Female Athletes Research Articles

High performance medical challenges with elite female athletes

Managing high performance female athletes poses many unique challenges to medical and allied practitioners whether in the clinic or on tour. With coaches and often the athletes themselves looking for any edge over their competition, young female athletes are often pushed to the edge in search of quicker times and success. But with this search, the training and lifestyle to achieve these goals can sometimes border on obsessive and place the athlete at risk of significant injury and illness, both physical and mental. Whilst male athletes are not immune from such issues, the physiology of the female athlete perhaps places them at greater risk of these issues. It is imperative that the clinician be able to recognize the danger signs and I will discuss previous experiences managing such athletes and how best to tackle often difficult conversations and consultations. I will also emphasize the vital role the multidisciplinary health professional and management team has in managing these athletes and also give advice when it is in the best interests of all involved to consider withdrawing the athlete from competition.

Symptomatic os intermetatarseum in a young athlete

The os intermetatarseum is located between the medial cuneiform and the base of the first and second metatarsals. Literature reviews have found few symptomatic cases of this condition since the 19th century. We report the case of a young female athlete, 20 years old, with sudden pain in the back of the midfoot after a jump. The os intermetatarseum is the rarest accessory bone in the foot and is typically asymptomatic. The presence of this bone should be considered when patients, especially young athletes, present with pain in the dorsum of the foot and compressive symptoms of the deep fibular nerve. Level of Evidence V; Therapeutic Studies; Expert Opinion.

Lower limb alignment in young female athletes is associated with knee joint moments during the drop vertical jump

Basmpkground: Increased rotational forces and knee valgus forces puts strain on the anterior cruciate ligament, frequently ruptured in female athletes.

Effects of basketball-specific high-intensity interval training on aerobic performance and physical capacities in youth female basketball players

ABSTRACTObjective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of a 5-week, basketball-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on aerobic performance in youth female basketball players.Methods: Twenty-four athletes (age 15.1 ± 1.1 years; height: 170 ± 5.2 cm; body mass: 60.9 ± 6.0 kg) took part in the investigation. The training group (TG, n = 11) integrated 10 basketball-specific HIIT sessions in their normal team training, the other group (n = 13) continued their team training routine and served as controls (CG). All HIIT sessions contained different basketball-specific drills. Before (pre-) and after the training period (post-) physical fitness was tested.Results: The Yo-yo intermittent recovery test (Yo-yo IR) performance was very likely increased in the TG (26,5 %). No improvements in the Yo-Yo IR performance were found in the CG (−6,8%). Likely positive effects in the TG were evident for the sprint and agility tests with (1.2 ± 2.4%, ES: 0.25, p = 0.29) and without ball (1.5 ± 4.6%, ES: 0.34, p = 0.20). The sprint and agility performance with ball significantly decreased in the CG by −2.8 ± 4.7% (ES: 0.49, p < 0.01). No differences between the groups were found for counter movement jump with arm swing (TG: ES = 0.14, p = 0.45, CG: ES = 0.20 p = 0.18), counter movement jump (TG: ES = 0.05, p = 0.70, CG: ES = 0.19, p = 0.10), squat jump (TG: ES = 0.06, p = 0.72, CG: ES = 0.10, p = 0.54) and long jump (TG: ES = 0.00, p = 0.82, CG: ES = 0.00, p = 0.81).Conclusion: A 5-week, basketball-specific HIIT improves the aerobic performance in young female basketball athletes.

Should Children Be Running Ultramarathons?

Should Children Be Running Ultramarathons?

Bone and Inflammatory Responses to Training in Female Rowers over an Olympic Year.

To examine whether fluctuations in training load during an Olympic year lead to changes in bone mineral densities and factors that regulate bone (sclerostin, osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand), energy metabolism (insulin-like growth factor-1 and leptin), and inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6) in elite heavyweight female rowers. Blood samples were drawn from 15 female heavyweight rowers (27.0 ± 0.8 yr, 80.9 ± 1.3 kg, 179.4 ± 1.4 cm) at baseline (T1-45 wk before Olympic Games) and after 7, 9, 20, 25, and 42 wk (T1-6, respectively). Ongoing nutritional counseling was provided. Total weekly training load was recorded over the week before each time point. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry at T1 and T6. Total BMD increased significantly before to after training (+0.02 g·cm), but was below the least significant change (±0.04 g·cm). Osteoprotegerin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and leptin remained stable across all time points. Fluctuations in training load (high vs low) were accompanied by parallel changes in tumor necrosis factor-α (2.1 ± 0.2 vs 1.5 ± 0.2 pg·mL), interleukin 6 (1.2 ± 0.08 vs 0.8 ± 0.09 pg·mL), and sclerostin (high: 993 ± 109 vs low: 741 ± 104 pg·mL). In this population of young female athletes with suitable energy availability, sclerostin and inflammation markers responded to fluctuations in training load, whereas BMD and bone mineral content were stable during the season, suggesting that training load periodization is not harmful for the bone health in athletes.

Age-Dependent Patellofemoral Pain: Hip and Knee Risk Landing Profiles in Prepubescent and Postpubescent Female Athletes

Background: Female athletes are at an increased risk of developing patellofemoral pain (PFP) relative to male athletes. The unique effects of maturation may compound that risk. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the neuromuscular control mechanisms that are adaptive to pubertal maturation and determine their relative contribution to PFP development. It was hypothesized that aberrant landing mechanics (reduced sagittal-plane and increased frontal- and transverse-plane kinematics and kinetics) would be associated with an increased risk for PFP. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: There were 506 high school female athletes who completed a detailed medical history, the Anterior Knee Pain Scale, and a knee examination for the diagnosis of PFP and attended follow-up appointments. Athletes performed a drop vertical jump task instrumented with force plates, and biomechanical measures generated from standard 3-dimensional biomechanical analyses were used to classify participants into high- or low-risk knee and hip landing profiles for the development of PFP. The biomechanical measures used in the knee landing profile included sagittal-plane knee range of motion, peak knee abduction angle, peak knee abduction moment, and peak-to-peak transverse-plane knee moment. The biomechanical measures used in the hip landing profile included sagittal-plane hip range of motion, peak hip extensor moment, peak abductor moment, and peak hip rotator moment. Testing was conducted at sport-specific preseason appointments over the course of 2 years, and changes in pubertal status, landing profile, and PFP development were documented. Results: Female athletes with high-risk hip landing profiles experienced increased hip flexion and decreased abductor, rotator, and extensor moments. Participants with high-risk hip landing profiles who transitioned to postpubertal status at follow-up had higher odds (odds ratio, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-4.0]; P = .02) of moving to a low-risk hip landing profile compared with those who had not reached postpubertal status at follow-up. Participants with high-risk knee landing profiles experienced decreased knee flexion and increased knee abduction, external abductor, and external rotator moments. Pubertal maturation was not associated with a change in the high-risk knee landing profile at follow-up. Conclusion: The progression from prepubertal to postpubertal status may have a protective effect on high-risk hip mechanics but no similar adaptations in high-risk knee mechanics during maturation. These data indicate that before puberty, maladaptive hip mechanics may contribute to PFP, while aberrant knee mechanics associated with PFP are sustained throughout the maturational process in young female athletes.

ANTHROPOMETRIC AND MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG HANDBALL PLAYERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF EARLY SELECTION

This paper deals with recognizing the indicators significant for early selection in handball. The sample consisted of 311 selected young players (175 males and 136 females), of the ages of between 12 and 16, who had trained handball for a minimum of 3 years. They have been tested by assemblies of young representative selections of the Handball Federation of Vojvodina. Three anthropometric variables were applied (Mass, Height, BMI), 8 tests of the Eurofit battery for the evaluation of motor abilities, and 3 tests with a ball that contained basic technical elements of handball. A factorial analysis for both genders was conducted individually, in order to establish model characteristics of young handball male and female athletes. For the subsample of girls, where three qualitatively different groups existed (the national, regional and club level), a canonical analysis was also conducted. Both subsamples resulted in a bi-component structure. With boys, the first component was formed from general motor skills, and the second from physical dimensionality. With girls, both components were similarly saturated, but they had reversed hierarchy (the first factor was formed from anthropometric, and the second from motor skills variables). A boy and a girl that are distinguished from their peers by a higher physical strength and larger physical constitution were used as the typical model of beginner handball players. In the sub-sample of girls, two canonical factors were gained, but neither was significantly discriminable. The Eurofit battery of tests did not prove to be discriminatory enough in the selection of young handball players.

Within- and Between-Session Reliability of the Isometric Midthigh Pull in Young Female Athletes.

Moeskops, S, Oliver, JL, Read, PJ, Cronin, JB, Myer, GD, Haff, GG, and Lloyd, RS. Within- and between-session reliability of the isometric midthigh pull in young female athletes. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 1892-1901, 2018-To investigate the within- and between-session reliability of the isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) in pre- and post-peak height velocity (PHV) female athletes. Nineteen pre- and 19 post-PHV athletes performed bilateral IMTPs using a custom-designed isometric testing system. Participants attended 3 separate testing sessions and performed 3 trials within each session. Peak force, relative peak force, force at 30, 50, 90, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ms, rate of force development (RFD) within time-specific bands, time to peak force (TPF), and time to peak RFD were obtained for analysis. Within- and between-session reliability for each variable was calculated from repeated-measures analysis of variance, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and coefficients of variation (CV) with 95% confidence intervals. Within- and between-session measures of absolute and relative peak force were found to be reliable for both pre-PHV (CV ≤ 9.4%, ICC ≥ 0.87) and post-PHV (CV ≤ 7.3%, ICC ≥ 0.92), but systematic bias was evident between sessions in the pre-PHV group, from session 1 to 2. Analyses of force at the specific time points revealed CVs between 19-37% and 5-24% for pre-PHV and post-PHV athletes, respectively. Greater variability was evident in TPF, and all RFD-related variables for pre-PHV (CV ≥ 38%) and post-PHV (CV ≥ 27%) athletes, respectively. The IMTP appears a reliable and safe method for evaluating peak force in young female athletes. Overall, post-PHV athletes were more reliable than pre-PHV athletes, with pre-PHV athletes needing additional familiarization to minimize the influence of systematic bias.

The role of tecar therapy in the delayed onset muscle soreness and functional recovery

The practice of physical exercise can trigger the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This experimental study aims to evaluate the effects of Tecar Therapy on DOMS and Functional Recovery. A sample of 60 young volleyball female athletes (mean age 16.42 ± 1.78) was randomized into two groups (Tecar Therapy Group (TG) ( n = 30) and Control Group (CG) ( n = 30). All participants performed the fatigue protocol, and were evaluated in different moments (Before [M0] and after [M1] the fatigue protocol and Tecar therapy in TG; 24 hours after the protocol before [M2] and after [M3] Tecar therapy in TG; and 72 hours after the fatigue protocol [M4]). The participants were evaluated in regard to: (1) pressure pain threshold, (2) muscle soreness (visual analogue scale), (3) functionality (Single Hop Test) and (4) muscle strength (isokinetic evaluation–Peak Torque (PT), Peak Torque Body Weight (PTBW), Total Work (TW), Average Power (AP)). The TG presented higher pain pressure threshold when compared to the CG, from M2 onwards of the evaluation (M2 P = 0.034, M3 P = 0.041 and M4 P = 0.002). Likewise, the TG presented less muscle soreness when compared to the CG, from M2 onwards of the evaluation (M2 P = 0.008, M3 P = 0.016 and M4 P = 0.034). On the other hand, it was verified that, when compared to the initial evaluation moment (M0), the GT recovers in functional performance by the end of 72 hours (M0 vs M4), in the Single Leg Hop and in three isokinetic parameters (PT, PTBW and AP), however this wasn’t observed among the CG. Tecar Therapy was shown to be effective in the relief of muscle soreness, from 24 hours after its application. Likewise, individuals treated with Tecar therapy had better recovery of muscle strength and function at the end of the 72 hours protocol.

Relationship between Left Ventricle and Body Composition in Young Male and Female Athletes

Competitive sports induce gradual cardiac adaptations in young athletes. During growth, changes occur in their body composition. The purpose of this study is to provide the left ventricular parameters indexed for body composition during young athletes’ growth 220 young athletes (110 females and 110 males) aged from 8 to 19 years old were enrolled. An accurate body composition analysis and echocardiography were performed. The left ventricular parameters were then indexed to the body surface area formula with the data related to body composition (fat-free mass and body cellular mass). The left ventricular and body composition parameters increased continuously during growth and no differences between the sexes were found before puberty. Higher fat mass was found in females from 12 years old (Fat Mass Index: Female = 4.8 ± 1.8 kg/m2, Male = 3.6 ± 0.9 kg/m2; p< 0.05). Cardiac differences started at 13 years old, with a greater left ventricular mass in males (Female = 110.9 ± 20.2 g, Male = 128.7 ± 23.7 g; p< 0.05). The indexing of the left ventricle to the body composition parameters increased the age of onset of these cardiological differences to 14 years old with fat-free mass (Female = 91.8 ± 18.7 g/m2, Male = 105.0 ± 19.5 g/m2; p< 0.05), or to 15 years old with body cell mass (Female = 124.3 ± 17.9 g/m2, Male = 145.8 ± 28.5 g/m2; p< 0.05). Differences between the sexes appear to start after puberty. The above indexing was used in order to normalize the differences between the sexes according to body composition. This study reports the reference values for age and gender of the left ventricular parameters indexed for metabolically active mass.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Young Females: Patellar versus Hamstring Tendon Autografts

Objectives:Female athletes are two to eight times more likely to suffer a primary ACL tear than males. Although ACL reconstruction can successfully return many athletes to their pre-injury sports, re-injury to the ipsilateral or contralateral knee can occur in over 20% of young athletes. Both female sex and younger age have been shown to be risk factors for graft failure. The optimal graft choice for this high-risk population of young female athletes remains unknown and poorly studied. We compared the clinical outcomes in young female patients who underwent ACL reconstruction at our institution using bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) and quadrupled hamstring (HS) autografts.Methods:Female patients aged 15-25 who underwent primary ACL reconstruction at our institution between January 2012 and May 2015 using either BTB or HS autograft were included in our review. Patients were further sub-divided into 2 age groups, 15-20 and 20-25. Patients with a prior history of ACL injury to either knee, or those with multiligament injury were excluded. Graft choice and fixation method were documented from a review of operative records. Medical records were reviewed to document the occurrence of chondral, meniscal or ligamentous injury to the ipsilateral or contralateral knee in the first two years following ACL reconstruction. Comparisons were made using the chi-square test with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.Results:A total of 256 females were included in our review with 175 in the BTB group and 81 in the HS group. There was no difference between the groups with regards to average age or time to follow-up. The majority of patients in both groups, 80% of the BTB group and 77.8% of the HS group, were between the ages of 15-20. Interference screw fixation was used in all BTB cases and 63.0% of HS cases. In the remainder of HS cases, femoral suspension and tibial screw (27.2%), and femoral cross-pins and tibial screw (9.9%) were used. In our series, 22.2% of hamstring grafts were augmented with allograft due to inadequate size. Overall, graft re-tear occurred in 6.9% of BTB patients and 12.3% of HS patients [p=0.16]. Contralateral ACL tear occurred in 7.4% of BTB patients and 6.2% of HS patients [p=0.72]. Sub-group analysis showed that 75% of BTB and 100% of HS graft re-tears occurred in females aged 15-20. Within this group, there was a significantly lower rate of graft re-tears in the BTB group (6.4%) when compared to the HS group (15.9%) [p=0.04]. Allograft augmentation was used in four of the ten HS grafts that re-tore. The risk of failure with hamstring augmentation with allograft (4/18, 22.2%) was higher than that of hamstring autograft alone (6/63, 9.5%), but this difference was not significant [p=0.18].Conclusion:The results of our study indicate that BTB autograft led to fewer graft re-tears compared to HS autograft following ACL reconstruction in female patients aged 15-20. However, this difference was not observed in females aged 20-25. Thus, further investigation regarding optimal graft choice is warranted in this age group.

Muscle Activation During ACL Injury Risk Movements in Young Female Athletes: A Narrative Review.

Young, adolescent female athletes are at particular high risk of sustaining a non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during sport. Through the last decades much attention has been directed toward various anatomical and biomechanical risk factors for non-contact ACL injury, and important information have been retrieved about the influence of external loading factors on ACL injury risk during given sports-specific movements. However, much less attention has been given to the aspect of neuromuscular control during such movements and only sparse knowledge exists on the specific muscle activation patterns involved during specific risk conditions. Therefore, the aim of this narrative review was (1) to describe anatomical aspects, strength aspects and biomechanical aspects relevant for the understanding of ACL non-contact injury mechanisms in young female athletes, and (2) to review the existing literature on lower limb muscle activation in relation to risk of non-contact ACL-injury and prevention of ACL injury in young female athletes. Studies investigating muscle activity patterns associated with sports-specific risk situations were identified, comprising cohort studies, intervention studies and prospective studies. Based on the retrieved studies, clear gender-specific differences in muscle activation and coordination were identified demonstrating elevated quadriceps activity and reduced hamstring activity in young female athletes compared to their male counterparts, and suggesting young female athletes to be at elevated risk of non-contact ACL injury. Only few studies (n = 6) examined the effect of preventive exercise-based intervention protocols on lower limb muscle activation during sports-specific movements. A general trend toward enhanced hamstring activation was observed during selected injury risk situations (e.g., sidecutting and drop landings). Only a single study examined the association between muscle activation deficits and ACL injury risk, reporting that low medial hamstring activation and high vastus lateralis activation prior to landing was associated with an elevated incidence of ACL-injury. A majority of studies were performed in adult female athletes. The striking paucity of studies in adolescent female athletes emphasizes the need for increased research activities to examine of lower limb muscle activity in relation to non-contact ACL injury in this high-risk athlete population.

Contesting restrictive mobility norms among female mentors implementing a sport based programme for young girls in a Mumbai slum

BackgroundHarmful gender norms are known structural barriers to many public health and development interventions involving adolescent girls. In India, restrictions on girls’ liberty to move freely in public spaces contribute to school dropout and early marriage, and negatively affect girls’ health and wellbeing, from adolescence into adulthood. We report on mechanisms of change among female mentors 18 to 24 years old who contested discriminatory norms while implementing a sports-based programme for adolescent girls in a Mumbai slum.MethodsWe adopted a prospective qualitative research design. Our analysis is based on case studies derived from two rounds of face to face, in -depth interviews with 10 young women recruited to serve as mentors for the project’s young female athletes. We combined both thematic and narrative analysis.ResultsThe programme created opportunities for collective action, increasing mentors’ ability to think and relate in a collectivized manner, and challenged the traditional female identity constructed for young women, which centres on domestic duties. The mentors themselves negotiated freedoms both in and outside their homes, which required careful and strategic bargaining. They changed the nature of key day-to-day social interactions with parents and brothers, as well as with neighbours, parents of their groups of athletes and men on the streets. They formed a new reference group for each other in terms of what was possible and acceptable. Demonstrating greater negotiation skills within the family helped win parents’ trust in the mentor’s ability to be safe in public spaces. Parents became active supporters by not giving into social sanctions of neighbours and relatives thus co-producing a new identity for their daughters as respectable young women doing ‘good work’. They effectively side stepped reputational risk with their presence in public spaces becoming de-sexualised.ConclusionsMentors contested mobility restrictions by taking risks as a group first, with collective agency an important step towards greater individual agency. This research provides important insights into addressing embedded social norms that perpetuate gender discriminatory practices and the social patterning of health inequalities.

Popping the cap: the constellation of MRI findings in patellofemoral syndrome.

Patellofemoral syndrome (PFS) is a common etiology of anterior knee pain, particularly among young female athletes. Despite recent advancements in the resolution of MRI, there still remains a paucity of literature that has investigated the MRI findings associated with PFS. This pictorial essay will describe our institution's experience with cases of PFS and review what we believe to be a constellation of findings associated with this diagnostic entity. This review will also describe common pitfalls encountered during the diagnosis of PFS.

Concussions in Young Female Athletes Remain Symptomatic Longer Than in Male Peers

Concussions in Young Female Athletes Remain Symptomatic Longer Than in Male Peers

The Effects of Complex Training on Neuromuscular Development of the Lower Limbs in Youth Netball Players

Objective: The high prevalence of injury in netball can be associated with intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Female athletes have an increased risk of injury as they enter into maturity due to increased joint laxity and a reduction in neuromuscular control, resulting in altered landing biomechanics and greater knee joint injury risk. This study sought to investigate whether complex training (CT) could improve neuromuscular strength and landing kinematics, thereby reducing injury risk to the knee. Methods: A within subject, repeated measures design was utilised. Ten youth netball academy players (age, 15.3 ± 0.9, years; height, 169.0 ± 7.0, cm; body mass, 62.2 ± 6.9, kg) participated and attended one familiarisation and two testing sessions (pre- and post-intervention). Participants’ were assessed on: countermovement jump (CMJ), landing error score system (LESS), and single leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) of both limbs. All participants engaged in a 6 week, one day per week, strength training and plyometric intervention for the lower limbs utilising CT. Results: Significant improvements were evidenced for CMJ height (p = 0.001, d = 1.2 “moderate” effect), CMJ peak power output (PPO) (p = 0.001, d = 0.7 “small” effect), LESS (p = 0.002, d = 1.7 “large” effect), and SLCMJ left height (p = 0.01, d = 1.2 “moderate” effect) following the intervention. Conclusion: Performing one CT session a week over 6 weeks enhanced kinematics and performance of jumping activities both bilaterally and unilaterally, it also brought about reductions in asymmetries in young female athletes.

Body Image of Highly Trained Female Athletes Engaged in Different Types of Sport.

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in body image across different types of sports in highly trained female athletes. Methods 242 female individuals, aged 13–30 years (M = 20.0, SD = 4.5), representing aesthetic sports (n = 56) and nonaesthetic sports (n = 186), were recruited from different sports clubs in Poland. Body image, BMI, age, the level of competition attained, and the training background of participants were recorded. Results One-way ANOVA showed differences in the body image of athletes engaged in different types of sport (F(11,230) = 4.10, p < 0.001, and η2 = 0.16). The model predicting the body image of female athletes was significant (F(5,236) = 10.40, p < 0.001); the adjusted R2 = 0.163. Type of sport explained 7.1% (β = –0.263, p < 0.001), age explained 4.5% (β = 0.341, p < 0.001), BMI explained 3.6% (β = –0.230, p < 0.001), and level of competition explained 0.9% (β = 0.153, p < 0.05) of variance in body image. Conclusions The findings provide vital new knowledge which can be used by researchers and practitioners in designing educational programs on weight-related behaviors in female athletes. Such programs should be implemented especially in young female athletes participating in high-level sporting activities at an early stage.

ОРГАНІЗАЦІЯ ТА ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ТАНЦЮВАЛЬНО-ОЗДОРОВЧИХ ЗАНЯТЬ ЗІ СТУДЕНТКАМИ В СПОРТИВНОМУ НАВЧАЛЬНОМУ ВІДДІЛЕННІ

Introduction. The literature data prove the necessity to reorganize the physical education (PE) of female students. This can be expressed, on the one hand, in taking into consideration the menstrual cycle (MC) phases when distributing and orienting physical loads, and on the other hand, in searching for methodological approaches, aimed at improving the body functional state. Incorrect structure of the PE process can negatively affect the functional state of young female athletes and the preservation of their health. Purpose. To study the influence of specially formed dancing health-improving classes on the functional state of female students’ bodies (taking into account the phases of MC) and to evaluate their effectiveness. Methods. 26 female students of the sporting training department were under supervision: two groups of 13 persons – the main group and the control one. They were examined at the beginning and at the end of the academic year. Two exercises were performed. Each lasted for 3 minutes, with a three-minute break. The intensity of the first exercise was selected so that the heart rate did not exceed 120-125 beats per minute, and 140-145 beats per minute for the second one. Besides, pulse and arterial blood pressure were measured in the initial condition before the start of the test, as well as after its completion. On the base of these measurements, the systolic blood volume was calculated according to Starr’s formula. The maximum oxygen consumption (MOC) was calculated according to Karpman’s formula. The mental working capacity was determined by means of the Landolt Ring test. The mathematical processing of the obtained data was carried out. Results. The background indicators of heart rate in two groups both at the beginning and at the end of the academic year were within the limits of physiologically normal conditions, the differences in the heart rate indicators of the groups were unreliable. The similar measurements were done after the female students had performed the two stages of exercises. They showed that in the main group the cardiovascular system indicators at the end of the academic year were more favorable. Against the background of a higher PWC170 indicator, they had not so high indicators of systolic and minute volumes of blood, as the control group students had. This proved a more economical functioning of the circulatory system in the process of physical activity. If the MOC at the beginning of the academic year was almost identical and was about 2.3 l/min for both groups, at the end of the second semester, the students of the main group significantly increased MOC, while in the control group it only slightly increased. At the end of the academic year, we recorded a close relationship between the PWC170 and the speed of information processing (r = 0.97) in the postmenstrual period. At the same time, a high correlation with the percentage of correct decisions was kept. In the period of ovulation, the relationship of the PWC170 with the time of test solution and the analysis of one sign remained the same as in the first survey. During the post-ovulatory phase, the dependence between the PWC170 and the speed of information processing increased. During the premenstrual and menstrual phases the stable relationship between the indicators of mental and physical capacity was not found. Conclusion. It has been established that under the influence of annual dancing health-improving classes the female students improved the state of the cardiorespiratory system, increasing the efficiency of its functioning in the course of physical work, which ensured an improved physical efficiency, an increase of work capacity and, most importantly, a significant increase of the maximum oxygen consumption.

Влияние кратковременных физиотерапевтических процедур на психоэмоциональное состояние юных спортсменок

Влияние кратковременных физиотерапевтических процедур на психоэмоциональное состояние юных спортсменок