Analysis of Lower Limb Asymmetries by Isokinetic and Vertical Jump Tests in Soccer Players

Background: Morphological changes characteristic of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) are common in soccer players. However, the clinical relevance of such anatomical variations is still not well-defined. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that high alpha angle values and/or acetabular retroversion index (ARI) are correlated with rotational range of motion (ROM) of the hip and that there are clinical-radiological diferences between the dominant lower limb (DLL) and nondominant lower limb (NDLL) in professional soccer players. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: A total of 59 male professional soccer players (average age 25.5 years, range 18-38 years) were evaluated in the preseason. As main outcome measures, we evaluated the alpha angle and the ARI and hip IR and ER ROM with radiographic analysis. Results: The measurements taken on DLL and NDLL were compared and a significant difference was found between the sides in the ER ( P = 0.027), where the DLL measures were 1.54° (95% CI, 0.18-2.89) greater than the NDLL. There were no significant differences between the sides in the measures of IR ( P > 0.99), total ROM ( P = 0.07), alpha angle ( P = 0.250), and ARI ( P = 0.079). The correlations between the rotation measurements and the alpha angle in each limb were evaluated and the coefficient values showed no correlation; so also between the ARI and rotation measures. Conclusion: Morphological changes of the femur or acetabulum are not correlated with hip IR and ER ROM in male professional soccer players. ER on the dominant side was greater than on the nondominant side. There was no significant difference in the other measurements between sides. Clinical Relevance: In clinical practice, it is common to attribute loss of hip rotational movement to the presence of FAI. This study shows that anatomical FAI may not have a very strong influence on available hip rotational movement in professional soccer athletes.

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Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Serie A Soccer Players’ Physical Qualities

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/a-1345-9262 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ermanno Rampinini ◽

Federico Donghi ◽

Marco Martin ◽

Andrea Bosio ◽

Marco Riggio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Mixed Models ◽

Peak Power ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Limited Evidence ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Home Based ◽

Before And After ◽

Different Seasons

AbstractIn March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most activities in Italy, including soccer, to cease. During lockdown, players could only train at home, with limited evidence regarding the effect of this period. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on professional soccer players’ physical performance. Aerobic fitness and vertical jump were assessed before and after four periods in two different seasons: COVID-19 lockdown, competitive period before lockdown, competitive period and summer break of the 2016–2017 season. Linear mixed models were used to examine within-period changes and between-period differences in changes observed during COVID-19 lockdown and the three other periods. Within-period changes in aerobic fitness showed a significant improvement following COVID-19 lockdown (p<0.001) and a significant decline during summer break (p<0.001). Between-period differences were significant in the comparison of COVID-19 lockdown with both the competitive 2019–2020 season (p<0.01) and summer break (p<0.001). For the vertical jump, only the between-period comparison revealed significant differences as the changes associated with COVID-19 lockdown were worse than those of the two competitive periods, for both absolute (p<0.05; p<0.001) and relative peak power (p<0.01; p<0.001). Home-based training during lockdown was effective to improve aerobic fitness, although it did not allow players to maintain their competitive period’s power levels.

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Lower limb joint angular phase plane coordination analysis on standard maximum vertical jump

Gait & Posture ◽

10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.09.106 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 90 ◽

pp. 205-206

Author(s):

C. Rodrigues ◽

M. Correia ◽

J. Abrantes ◽

B. Rodrigues ◽

J. Nadal

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Phase Plane ◽

Vertical Jump

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Effect of Core Training Program on Physical Functional Performance in Female Soccer Players

International Education Studies ◽

10.5539/ies.v9n5p115 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 115 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cengiz Taskin

Keyword(s):

Functional Performance ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Training Group ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Control Group ◽

The Core ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Long Jump ◽

The Mean ◽

Core Training

<p class="apa">The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of core training program on speed, acceleration, vertical jump, and standing long jump in female soccer players. A total of 40 female soccer players volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided randomly into 1 of 2 groups: core training group (CTG; n = 20) and control group (CG; n = 20). The mean (SD) age was 19.05 ± 1.15 years, height was 160.60 ± 4.22 cm, weight was 56.45 ± 3.33 kg, and sport age was 4.50 ± 1.24 for the core training group; the mean (SD) age was 18.55 ± 0.76 years, height was 159.10 ± 3.86 cm, weight was 52.20 ± 3.60 kg, and sport age was 3.35 ± 0.75 years for the control group. Following randomization, the 2 groups did not differ significantly (p>0.05) in any of the dependent variables. The subjects in the control group did not participate in the training and participated only in the pre- and posttest measurements. To evaluate the effect of core training over the functional performance, we applied a testing procedure that included measurements of speed, acceleration, vertical jump, and standing long jump. The core training group showed a 3.4%, 5.9%, 13.3%, 4.2% improvement in speed, acceleration, vertical jump, and standing long jump (respectively) (P<0.05), whereas the control group did not change (P>0.05). In conclusion, Core exercises were improved speed, acceleration, vertical jump, and standing long jump in 18-19 years-old female soccer players. Therefore, it is believed core training is necessary for optimal sport performance and should not be dismissed for all sport branches.</p>

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

Archives of Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy ◽

10.17352/asmp.000008 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 001-005

Author(s):

Riad Jacques

Keyword(s):

Knee Joint ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Young Female ◽

Limb Alignment ◽

Joint Moments ◽

Lower Limb Alignment ◽

Drop Vertical Jump

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Peer Review #2 of "Infrared thermography applied to lower limb muscles in elite soccer players with functional ankle equinus and non-equinus condition (v0.2)"

10.7287/peerj.3388v0.2/reviews/2 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Peer Review ◽

Infrared Thermography ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Lower Limb Muscles ◽

Limb Muscles

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Lower-limb Force And Fat-free Mass Asymmetries And Their Relationships To Vertical Jump Performance

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/01.mss.0000760756.72121.68 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (8S) ◽

pp. 140-140

Author(s):

Lindy M. Rossow ◽

Jacob M. Fitts ◽

Christopher A. Fahs ◽

Victor W. Kizer

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Jump Performance

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Playing Position: Anthropometric and Fitness Demands in Youth Soccer

Sport Science Review ◽

10.2478/ssr-2014-0009 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (3-4) ◽

pp. 151-168

Author(s):

Aristotelis Gioldasis ◽

Evangelos Bekris ◽

Ioannis Gissis

Keyword(s):

Vertical Jump ◽

Age Groups ◽

The Other ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Early Age ◽

Short Term ◽

Running Speed ◽

Youth Soccer ◽

Individualized Training ◽

Almost All

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the anthropometric and fitness characteristics of soccer players with different positional role. Although, players’ skills are not equally distributed in each position, at elite soccer they have to perform each skill at a sufficient level. However, coaches expertise those from an early age in specific positions without giving them an holistic individualized training. In the study participated 312 Greek players aged 6 to 17 (M= 11.89; SD= 2.33) of 5 age groups (group U7-U8; group U9-U10; group U11-U12; group U13-U14; group U15-U16; group U17). Anthropometric (height, weight, body mass index and body fat) and fitness characteristics (flexibility, vertical jump, running speed, agility and VO2max) of participants were measured. The study showed that goalkeepers and central defenders tend to perform worse than players of the other positional groups in most of their fitness characteristics for almost all the age groups. Furthermore, many tendencies were observed in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between players with different positional roles. This study provides suggestions to coaches regarding their practice of positioning players according to their anthropometric and fitness characteristics for a short term success.

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Strength training in professional soccer: effects on short-sprint and jump performance

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/a-1653-7350 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Javier Nuñez ◽

Luis Suarez-Arrones ◽

Moisés de Hoyo ◽

Irineu Loturco

Keyword(s):

Strength Training ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Jump Performance ◽

Training Strategy ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Training Schemes

Several studies have confirmed the efficacy of strength training to maximize soccer player performance during competition. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effects of different strength training protocols on short-sprint and vertical jump performance of professional soccer players from the first division of their countries. The following inclusion criteria were employed for the analysis: (a) randomized studies; (b) high validity and reliability instruments; (c) studies published in a high-quality peer-reviewed journal; (d) studies involving professional soccer players from the first division; (e) studies with descriptions of strength training programs; and (f) studies where countermovement jump and 10-m sprint time were measured pre and post training. Overall, the different strength-oriented training schemes produced similar performance improvements, which seem not to depend on the training strategy. Strength training appears to have a lower effect when applied during in-season than when applied in pre-season periods in first division soccer players. In this meta-analysis it is not possible to confirm that strength training in isolation is capable of improving the short-sprint and jump performance of elite soccer players. The congested fixture schedule and, thus, the limited time to perform complementary (non-specific) training sessions, may contribute to these reduced effects.

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