Functional Variability in Team-Handball Players during Balance Is Revealed by Non-Linear Measures and Is Related to Age and Expertise Level

Postural control is considered a key variable in team sports, such as handball, which require abilities strongly related to balance. However, postural control and its relationship to the performance of handball skills according to the players’ skill level and age has not been evaluated to date. This study analyzes the relationship between balance ability and team-handball performance according to age and expertise, applying a non-linear approach to balance assessment. Postural control from 114 male team-handball players was analyzed through the center of pressure (COP) during a balance task. Sport performance was measured by the accuracy and speed in throwing. Expert players threw faster, but not more accurately than recreational players. Balance performance was better for 18+ players (older than 18 years old) than those U12 (under 12 years old), but no differences were found according to their skill level. Players who threw with less accuracy showed slower COP velocity during the balance task and their moves were less irregular. Players who threw faster displayed more irregular and less auto-correlated COP movements. In conclusion, experienced team-handball players exhibited better balance performance, and this seems to be related to the maturation of the motor system more than to sport performance level. Nevertheless, non-linear measures of COP excursion revealed an exploratory behavior during balance in expert players, exhibiting more motion adjustments to reduce motor output error. Traditional variables measuring balance performance did not show sensitivity to this motor control process. A non-linear approach to balance assessment revealed functional variability during balance as an intrinsic characteristic of individuals’ motor control according to age and skill level.

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Does instructing attentional focus direction affect static single leg balance performance?

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching ◽

10.1177/17479541211058581 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174795412110585

Author(s):

Cory J Monahan ◽

Wendy L Hurley

Keyword(s):

Postural Control ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Center Of Pressure ◽

Attentional Focus ◽

Fluctuation Analysis ◽

Scaling Exponent ◽

Balance Performance ◽

External Focus ◽

Balance Task ◽

And Control

Balance and postural control exercises are generally included as a part of exercise programs, during which movement practitioners can provide instructions to facilitate the performance of motor skills. Instructions can be used as cues to direct attentional focus, which has been found to affect the performance of motor skills, including balance and postural control tasks. However, no known studies to date have investigated the effect of both internal and external attentional focus instructions on static single leg balance performance, and it seems unclear whether effects of such instructions are related specifically to the direction of attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of instructing the direction of attentional focus on single leg static balance performance as reflected by the complexity of the center of pressure (COP) profile. Participants (N = 46) between the ages of 19–28 years old were randomly assigned to one of three group conditions: internal focus (INTn=15), external focus (EXTn=16) and control (CONn=15). Participants performed a thirty-five second static single leg balance task. Outcome measures were the scaling exponent determined from a detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to infer complexity of the COP profile in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions, and root mean square error (RMSE) of the COP profile in AP and ML directions. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined there were no statistically significant differences in the measured variables among groups. The results do not support the claim that manipulating the direction of attentional focus affects static single leg balance performance.

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Overcoming “The Third Way” Concept

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2006-2-126-134 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 126-134

Author(s):

L. Evstigneeva ◽

R. Evstigneev

Keyword(s):

Economic Research ◽

Economic Uncertainty ◽

Third Way ◽

The Third ◽

Linear Approach ◽

The World ◽

Non Linear

“The Third Way” concept is still widespread all over the world. Growing socio-economic uncertainty makes the authors revise the concept. In the course of discussion with other authors they introduce a synergetic vision of the problem. That means in the first place changing a linear approach to the economic research for a non-linear one.

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