scholarly journals Lateral differences in maximal grip strength in Czech male tennis players aged 11 – 12 in the context of injury prevention

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-62
Author(s):  
Roman Kolínský ◽  
Jiří Zháněl
Keyword(s):  
Grip Strength ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Left Handed ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
The Right

The term laterality indicates the one-sided preference or functional advantage of the stronger, more accurate and coordinated limbs or organs and the brain hemisphere of a human body. In the preference process, more accurate, precise, coordinated and stronger side is chosen from the perspective of motoric functions. Among the general population is about 10-13% of left-handers and in certain sport fields this percentage may (baseball, tennis, box etc.). The left-handed dominance in tennis is considered an advantage. Due to unilateral load, there may be an excessive side-effect in strength differences in tennis and overloading of specific muscle group could lead to an injury. The aim of the research was to identify the levels of somatic and strength characteristics and assess the lateral difference in maximal grip strength of Czech elite male tennis players. The sample consisted of male tennis players, ranging in age from 11 to 12.9 years (n=186) who participated in the regular tests for Czech Tennis Association in years 2000-2018. Base anthropometrics were measured (height, weight) and maximal grip strength of both hands using the hand-held dynamometry (Grip D, Takei). Data came from normal distribution (statistically proven – chi-square test). The basic statistical characteristics were calculated (body height, M=155.08±7.98 cm; body weight, M=43.45±7.13 kg; strength of right hand: M=24.88±4.67 kp; strength of left hand: M=21.70±4.74 kp). It was found that 87.6% of the players (n=163) were right-handed and the remaining 12.4% left-handed (n=23). The assessment of the significance (Cohen´s d) between the dominant (playing) hand for the right-handed and left-handed players showed small effect size (dominant hand right: MRHR=25.11±4.41 kp, dominant hand left: MLHL=26.62±5.65 kp; d=0.30, small) in favor of the left-handed players. The difference between the dominant and the non-dominant hand showed large effect size for the right-handed (dominant hand right vs. hand left; MRHR=25.11±4.41 kp, MRHL=21.01±4.15 kp, d=0.96, large) and medium effect size for the left-handed players (dominant hand left vs. hand right; MLHL=26.62±5.65 kp, MLHR=23.24±5.98 kp, d=0.58, medium). The results showed that the value of 15 % level of strength laterality between dominant and non-dominant hand was exceeded for the right-handed (55.83 %) and left-handed (43.48%) groups ergo the exceeded value could be a cause of injuries. Because of this signals attention should be given during training process for optimizing the required load.

scholarly journals Comparison of Grip Strength in Recreational Climbers and Non-Climbing Athletes—A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Mara Assmann ◽  
Gino Steinmetz ◽  
Arndt Friedrich Schilling ◽  
Dominik Saul
Keyword(s):  
Grip Strength ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lateral Epicondyle ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
Almost All

In recent years, climbing sports is on the rise making its Olympic debut in 2021. Physiological traits of professional rock climbers have been intensively studied, while recreational indoor climbers are less investigated, especially regarding grip strength and upper extremity proportions. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to understand what discerns the recreational climber from disparate recreational athletes. Therefore, we analyzed 50 recreational climbing (30.3 ± 12.7 years, 1.76 ± 0.09 m and 67.0 ± 14.0 kg) and 50 non-climbing athletes (26.4 ± 9.1 years, 1.78 ± 0.09 m and 73.2 ± 12.6 kg) to detect differences in their finger grip strength of seven different pinches. In addition, the upper extremity proportions were measured. Even in recreational climbers, almost all analyzed grips were stronger compared to other athletes (p < 0.05 in all but non-dominant fist, small to moderate effect sizes). Only the grip strength of the whole non-dominant hand was not significantly different (p = 0.17). Interestingly, differences between the dominant and non-dominant hand appeared to be larger in the non-climbing (all p < 0.05, all but one with small effect size) compared to the climbing cohort (pinch I/IV and pinch I/II+III+IV not different and mostly trivial). Circumference measurements showed that 10 cm below the lateral epicondyle, climbers exhibited significantly greater perimeter compared to non-climbing athletes (p < 0.05, small effect size). Our results show that recreational climbers have higher measured grip strength, but less profound differences between the dominant and non-dominant hand.

scholarly journals Transdiagnostic comparison of visual working memory capacity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine V. Barnes-Scheufler ◽  
Caroline Passow ◽  
Lara Rösler ◽  
Jutta S. Mayer ◽  
Viola Oertel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Background Impaired working memory is a core cognitive deficit in both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Its study might yield crucial insights into the underpinnings of both disorders on the cognitive and neurophysiological level. Visual working memory capacity is a particularly promising construct for such translational studies. However, it has not yet been investigated across the full spectrum of both disorders. The aim of our study was to compare the degree of reductions of visual working memory capacity in patients with bipolar disorder (PBD) and patients with schizophrenia (PSZ) using a paradigm well established in cognitive neuroscience. Methods 62 PBD, 64 PSZ, and 70 healthy controls (HC) completed a canonical visual change detection task. Participants had to encode the color of four circles and indicate after a short delay whether the color of one of the circles had changed or not. We estimated working memory capacity using Pashler’s K. Results Working memory capacity was significantly reduced in both PBD and PSZ compared to HC. We observed a small effect size (r = .202) for the difference between HC and PBD and a medium effect size (r = .370) for the difference between HC and PSZ. Working memory capacity in PSZ was also significantly reduced compared to PBD with a small effect size (r = .201). Thus, PBD showed an intermediate level of impairment. Conclusions These findings provide evidence for a gradient of reduced working memory capacity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with PSZ showing the strongest degree of impairment. This underscores the importance of disturbed information processing for both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Our results are compatible with the cognitive manifestation of a neurodevelopmental gradient affecting bipolar disorder to a lesser degree than schizophrenia. They also highlight the relevance of visual working memory capacity for the development of both behavior- and brain-based transdiagnostic biomarkers.

scholarly journals Determination of the relationship between the wrist isokinetic muscle strenght and the grip strength in tennis players aged between 12-14

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2_suppl2) ◽  
pp. 2325967117S0007
Author(s):  
Bihter Akınoğlu ◽  
Tuğba Kocahan ◽  
Necmiye Ün Yıldırım ◽  
Çağlar Soylu ◽  
Adnan Hasanoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Grip Strength ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Sitting Position ◽  
Wrist Flexion ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Isokinetic Muscle Strength ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Flexion And Extension

Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between isokinetic wrist muscle strenght and grip strength in tennis players aged between 12-14. Methods: This study was carried out with the participation of 9 (3 female and 6 male) tennis players aged between 12-14 (means 13,22±0,83). Weight, height, body mass index and dominant extremity of the players were recorded. İsokinetic measurement was performed with Isomed 2000® device. İsokinetic testing protocol; before the test all players performed the wrist flexion and extension isokinetic test with the 5 repeating at 90 º/sec as a warm-up and for comprehenting the test. Then, wrist flexion and extension concentric-concentric strength measurements were performed with the 5 repeating at 60 º/sec and with the 15 repeating at 240 º/sec with the angle between 50 degrees of wrist flexion and 60 degrees of wrist extension and peak torque values were recorded. Standard Jamar® Dynamometer was used for grip strength measurements. Grip strenght was performed firstly in sitting position, which is the position of standard measurement. Secondly, in standing position, the elbow was in full ekstansion and the forearm was in neutral position. Thirdly, in standing position the wrist was positioned approximately 30° extension and 10° ulnar deviation. This test was repeated 3 times in all test position and the mean of three scores were recorded. Firstly, the dominant hand, then the non-dominant hand was evoluated. They were allowed to rest for 30 seconds between each grip measurement. Correlation between peak tork of isokinetic muscle strenght and grip strength was done having been used Spearman correlation test. Findings: It was determined that there was a significant positive relation between wrist flexion-extension isokinetic muscle strength and grip strenght in tennis players aged between 12-14. Clinically, grip strength measured in the standard sitting position was found more as compared to the other positions but these values were not statistically significant (p>0,05). Accordingly, grip strength measured in the standard sitting position correlated with much more of the parameters which we evaluated for isokinetic muscle strength comparing to grip strenght measured in the other two positions (p<0,05). Results: It was concluded that isokinetic muscle strength of wrist can be affected by grip strength, therefore measurement needs to be done in the sitting position which maximum grip strength may reveal. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals Transdiagnostic Comparison of Visual Working Memory Capacity in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Barnes-Scheufler ◽  
Caroline Passow ◽  
Lara Rösler ◽  
Jutta Mayer ◽  
Viola Oertel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
The Difference

Abstract BackgroundImpaired working memory is a core cognitive deficit in both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Its study might yield crucial insights into the underpinnings of both disorders on the cognitive and neurophysiological level. Visual working memory capacity is a particularly promising construct for such translational studies. However, it has not yet been investigated across the full spectrum of both disorders. The aim of our study was to compare the degree of reductions of visual working memory capacity in patients with bipolar disorder (PBD) and patients with schizophrenia (PSZ) using a paradigm well established in cognitive neuroscience. Methods62 PBD, 64 PSZ, and 70 healthy controls (HC) completed a canonical visual change detection task. Participants had to encode the color of four circles and indicate after a short delay whether the color of one of the circles had changed or not. We estimated working memory capacity using Pashler’s K. ResultsWorking memory capacity was significantly reduced in both PBD and PSZ compared to HC. We observed a small effect size (r = .202) for the difference between HC and PBD and a medium effect size (r = .370) for the difference between HC and PSZ. Working memory capacity in PSZ was also significantly reduced compared to PBD with a small effect size (r = .201). Thus, PBD showed an intermediate level of impairment. ConclusionsThese findings provide evidence for a gradient of reduced working memory capacity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with PSZ showing the strongest degree of impairment. This underscores the importance of disturbed information processing for both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Our results are compatible with the cognitive manifestation of a neurodevelopmental gradient affecting bipolar disorder to a lesser degree than schizophrenia. They also highlight the relevance of visual working memory capacity for the development of both behavior- and brain-based transdiagnostic biomarkers.

scholarly journals Critical thinking and academic succes of english language students

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-155
Author(s):  
Amir Pušina ◽  
Amina Osmanović
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
English Language ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Small Effect Size

The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between critical thinking skills and academic achievement of English language learners in relation to different personal and environmental factors. In total, 117 female and 54 male (N=171) English language and literature students (age of M=20.99, SD=2.43) from four different universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina participated. Critical thinking skills and socio-demographic characteristics were examined by Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test (EWCT) and Demographic Data Questionnaire. Nonparametric statistical procedures were used to test relations of critical thinking skills and academic achievement (GPA) clustering for gender, age, family education level, university affiliation and year of study. Analysis indicated only one significant relation between the socio-demographic variables, EWCT and GPA scores: very weak negative correlation between age and GPA (rs=-.160, p˂.05), with a small effect size, accounting for 2.56% common variance. A statistically significant positive moderate correlation (rs=.41, p&lt;.001) with medium effect size (16.81% variance) between EWCT and GPA was found. Furthermore, difference between EWCT mean rank scores by GPA grade levels was a statistically significant: χ2(4)=35.751, p&lt;.001. According to these results, critical thinking skills are important for students’ academic achievement. Forthcoming research needs more clarification of socio-demographic, environmental factors and critical thinking skills relationship

scholarly journals Do animated triangles reveal a marked difficulty among autistic people with reading minds?

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132198915
Author(s):  
Alexander C Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Effect Size ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
General Information ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
The Difference

This meta-analysis tested whether autistic people show a marked, isolated difficulty with mentalising when assessed using the Frith -Happé Animations, an advanced test of mentalising (or ‘theory of mind’). Effect sizes were aggregated in multivariate meta-analysis from 33 papers reporting data for over 3000 autistic and non-autistic people. Relative to non-autistic individuals, autistic people underperformed, with a small effect size on the non-mentalising control conditions and a medium effect size on the mentalising condition. This indicates that studies have reliably found mentalising to be an area of challenge for autistic people, although the group differences were not large. It remains to be seen how important mentalising difficulties are in accounting for the social difficulties diagnostic of autism. As autistic people underperformed on the control conditions as well as the mentalising condition, it is likely that group differences on the test are partly due to domain-general information processing differences. Finally, there was evidence of publication bias, suggesting that true effects on the Frith -Happé Animations may be somewhat smaller than reported in the literature. Lay abstract Autistic people are thought to have difficulty with mentalising (our drive to track and understand the minds of other people). Mentalising is often measured by the Frith -Happé Animations task, where individuals need to interpret the interactions of abstract shapes. This review article collated results from over 3000 people to assess how autistic people performed on the task. Analysis showed that autistic people tended to underperform compared to non-autistic people on the task, although the scale of the difference was moderate rather than large. Also, autistic people showed some difficulty with the non-mentalising as well as mentalising aspects of the task. These results raise questions about the scale and specificity of mentalising difficulties in autism. It also remains unclear how well mentalising difficulties account for the social challenges diagnostic of autism.

scholarly journals The Mood-Improving Effect of Viewing Images of Nature and Its Neural Substrate

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5500
Author(s):  
Rikuto Yamashita ◽  
Chong Chen ◽  
Toshio Matsubara ◽  
Kosuke Hagiwara ◽  
Masato Inamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Affective Processing ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
The Right

It has been recently suggested that contact with nature improves mood via reducing the activity of the prefrontal cortex. However, the specific regions within the prefrontal cortex that underlie this effect remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the specific regions involved in the mood-improving effect of viewing images of nature using a 52-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we focused on the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), two regions associated with affective processing and control. In a randomized controlled crossover experiment, we assigned thirty young adults to view images of nature and built environments for three minutes each in a counterbalanced order. During image viewing, participants wore a fNIRS probe cap and had their oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) measured. Immediately following each image viewing, participants indicated their mood in terms of comfortableness, relaxation, and vigor. Results showed that viewing images of nature significantly increased comfortableness and relaxation but not vigor compared to viewing images of built environments, with a large effect size. Meanwhile, the concentration of oxy-Hb in only the right OFC and none of the other regions significantly decreased while viewing the images of nature compared to built environments, with a medium effect size. We speculate that viewing images of nature improves mood by reducing the activity of or calming the OFC. Since the OFC is hyperactive in patients with depression and anxiety at rest, contact with nature might have therapeutic effects for them.

scholarly journals Bilateral Symmetry of Jumping and Agility in Professional Basketball Players: Differentiating Performance Levels and Playing Positions

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1316
Author(s):  
Sime Versic ◽  
Miran Pehar ◽  
Toni Modric ◽  
Vladimir Pavlinovic ◽  
Miodrag Spasic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Effect Size ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Bilateral Symmetry ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
F Test ◽  
Basketball Players ◽  
Performance Levels ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
Medium Effect Size ◽  
And Performance

Although functional asymmetry is very common and normal in professional athletes, the better interlimb symmetry between dominant and nondominant sides (bilateral symmetry) could contribute to successful performance in basketball. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of bilateral symmetry of the one-leg jumping and agility performances in differentiating basketball players according to their (i) playing position (guards, forwards, and centers) and (ii) performance levels (first division vs. second division). The participants were 102 professional male basketball players, with all members of the teams competing in the two highest national divisions at the moment of testing (height: 194.92 ± 8.09 cm; body mass: 89.33 ± 10.91 kg; 21.58 ± 3.92 years of age). Performance levels (first division, N = 58 vs. second division, N = 44) and playing positions (guards, N = 48; forwards, N = 22; centers, N = 32) were observed as dependent variables. We measured one-leg jumping capacities (running vertical jump and lay-up vertical jump), basketball-specific preplanned agility (CODS), and basketball-specific reactive agility (RAG), all executed on dominant and nondominant sides. Accordingly, the bilateral symmetry of jumping and agility was calculated by calculating the ratio of the corresponding performances on the dominant and nondominant sides. Factorial analysis of variance (performance levels × positions) indicated that the bilateral symmetry of one-leg jumping differentiated players according to their playing position, with better bilateral symmetry among guards (F-test = 6.11 (medium effect size) and 5.81 (small effect size), p < 0.05 for lay-up and running-jump symmetry, respectively). Performance levels significantly differed in the bilateral symmetry of lay-up jump, with better symmetry for first-division players (F-test = 10.11 (medium effect size), p < 0.001), which was mostly influenced by significant differences among guards. Playing positions and performance levels did not differ in bilateral symmetry of the CODS and RAG. The study reveals the importance of bilateral symmetry of the sport-specific performance in differentiating playing positions and performance levels in basketball. Further studies in other multidirectional sports and other sport-specific performances are warranted.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Explicit Motor Timing Ability in Young Tennis Players

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambra Bisio ◽  
Emanuela Faelli ◽  
Elisa Pelosin ◽  
Gloria Carrara ◽  
Vittoria Ferrando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Performance ◽  
Bimanual Coordination ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Motor Timing ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Motor Expertise ◽  
Coordination Test ◽  
Timing Ability ◽  
Movement Strategy ◽  
The Right

A crucial ability for athletes playing sports that involve coincidence timing actions is the motor timing ability. The efficiency of perceptual and motor processes underlying the motor timing ability has been related to the motor experience gained in interceptive sports, such as tennis. In the present study, the motor timing ability in young tennis players (TP) and age-matched control participants (CTRL) was compared by means of a synchronization paradigm. Participants were asked to perform finger-opposition movements in synch to a metronome beating 0.5 and 2 Hz in (1) a bimanual coordination test, which compared the performance of the dominant hand with that of the contralateral hand, and (2) a movement lateralization test, which compared the motor performance of the dominant hand during single-hand and bimanual tasks (BTs). The motor performance was evaluated through movement strategy [defined by touch duration (TD), inter-tapping interval (ITI), and movement frequency] and movement accuracy (temporal accuracy defined by the synchronization error and spatial accuracy defined by the percentage of correct touches—%CORR_SEQ). Results showed that motor expertise significantly influences movement strategy in the bimanual coordination test; TD of TP was significantly higher than those of CTRL, specifically at 0.5 Hz. Furthermore, overall ITI values of TP were lower than those of CTRL. Lastly, in the movement lateralization test, the %CORR_SEQ executed with the right dominant hand by TP in the BT was significantly higher than those of CTRL. A discussion about the role of motor expertise in the timing ability and the related neurophysiological adaptations is provided.

scholarly journals The relationship between handedness and valence: A gesture study

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 2615-2626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esra Nur Çatak ◽  
Alper Açık ◽  
Tilbe Göksun
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Eye Tracker ◽  
Left Handed ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Side Preference ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Representational Gestures ◽  
Positive Content

People with different hand preferences assign positive and negative emotions to different sides of their bodies and produce co-speech gestures with their dominant hand when the content is positive. In this study, we investigated this side preference by handedness in both gesture comprehension and production. Participants watched faceless gesture videos with negative and positive content on eye tracker and were asked to retell the stories after each video. Results indicated no difference in looking preferences regarding being right- or left-handed. Yet, an effect of emotional valence was observed. Participants spent more time looking to the right (actor’s left) when the information was positive and to the left (actor’s right) when the information was negative. Participants’ retelling of stories revealed a handedness effect only for different types of gestures (representational vs beat). Individuals used their dominant hands for beat gestures. For representational gestures, while the right-handers used their right hands more, the left-handers gestured using both hands equally. Overall, the lack of significant difference between handedness and emotional content in both comprehension and production levels suggests that body-specific mental representations may not extend to the conversational level.

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