ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between front foot contact (FFC) ground reaction forces (GRF) during the delivery stride, lower-limb strength, eccentric dexterity and power, and ball release speed (BRS) among pace bowlers. Thirteen high-level male pace bowlers performed double and single leg drop landings; isometric mid-thigh pull; countermovement jump; and pace bowling (two-over bowling spell measuring BRS and FFC GRF). The relationship between assessed variables and BRS was determined via frequentist and Bayesian multiple linear regression. The model including peak braking force was the most probable given the data (Bayes Factor=1.713) but provided only weak evidence in comparison to the null model. The results of frequentist and Bayesian modelling were comparable with peak braking force explaining 23.3% of the variance in BRS (F(1, 11)=4.64, P=0.054). Results indicate pace bowlers with greater peak braking GRF during FFC generally elicit higher BRS. However, the weak relationship between peak braking force and BRS, and the lack of a linear relationship between BRS and other variables, highlights the complexities and inter-individual variability inherent to pace bowling at a high-level. A more individual-focused analysis revealed varied strategies within pace bowlers to deliver the outcome (e.g., BRS) and should be considered in future study designs.
Subject(s)
Athletic Performance/physiology , Cricket Sport/physiology , Foot/physiology , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Weight-Bearing/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Biomechanical Phenomena , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Kinetics , Male , Young AdultABSTRACT
This study investigated whether commercially available compression garments (COMP) exerting a moderate level of pressure and/or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) accelerate recovery following a cross-country sprint skiing competition compared with a control group (CON) consisting of active recovery only. Twenty-one senior (12 males, 9 females) and 11 junior (6 males, 5 females) Swedish national team skiers performed an outdoor sprint skiing competition involving four sprints lasting â¼3-4 min. Before the competition, skiers were matched by sex and skiing level (senior versus junior) and randomly assigned to COMP (n = 11), NMES (n = 11) or CON (n = 10). Creatine kinase (CK), urea, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and perceived muscle pain were measured before and 8, 20, 44 and 68â h after competition. Neither COMP nor NMES promoted the recovery of blood biomarkers, CMJ or perceived pain post-competition compared with CON (all P > .05). When grouping all 32 participants, urea and perceived muscle pain increased from baseline, peaking at 8â h (standardised mean difference (SMD), [95% confidence intervals (CIs)]): 2.8 [2.3, 3.2]) and 44â h (odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.3 [2.1, 5.1]) post-competition, respectively. Additionally, CMJ was lower than baseline 44 and 68â h post-competition in both males and females (P < .05). CK increased from baseline in males, peaking at 44â h (SMD: 1.4 [-0.4, 0.9]), but was decreased in females at 20â h post-competition (SMD: -0.8 [-1.4, -0.2]). In conclusion, cross-country sprint skiing induced symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage peaking 8-44â h post-competition. However, neither COMP nor NMES promoted physiological or perceptual recovery compared with CON.