The aim of the present study was to examine how explosive strength, kicking speed, and body composition are affected by a 12-week plyometric training program in elite female soccer players. The hypothesis was that this program would increase the jumping ability and kicking speed and that these gains could be maintained by means of regular soccer training only. Twenty adult female players were divided into 2 groups: control group (CG, n = 10, age 23.0 +/- 3.2 yr) and plyometric group (PG, n = 10; age 22.8 +/- 2.1 yr). The intervention was carried out during the second part of the competitive season. Both groups performed technical and tactical training exercises and matches together. However, the CG followed the regular soccer physical conditioning program, which was replaced by a plyometric program for PG. Neither CG nor PG performed weight training. Plyometric training took place 3 days a week for 12 weeks including jumps over hurdles, drop jumps (DJ) in stands, or horizontal jumps. Body mass, body composition, countermovement jump height, DJ height, and kicking speed were measured on 4 separate occasions. The PG demonstrated significant increases (p < 0.05) in jumping ability after 6 weeks of training and in kicking speed after 12 weeks. There were no significant time x group interaction effects for body composition. It could be concluded that a 12-week plyometric program can improve explosive strength in female soccer players and that these improvements can be transferred to soccer kick performance in terms of ball speed. However, players need time to transfer these improvements in strength to the specific task. Regular soccer training can maintain the improvements from a plyometric training program for several weeks.

Background: Foam roller and vibration techniques are currently used to assist in recovery after fatigue. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the use of a foam roller with and without vibration on dynamic balance, ankle dorsiflexion, hamstring and lumbar spine flexibility and perceived knee and ankle stability after an induced fatigue protocol. Methods: A total of 24 healthy recreationally active participants (17 males and seven females) were recruited to a randomized cross over trial consisting of; no treatment (NT), foam roller treatment (FR) and vibration foam roller treatment (VFR). The assessments included; the Sit & Reach test, Y balance test and post-treatment perceived knee and ankle stability. Measurements were taken after a standardized warm up (baseline) and repeated following an exercise-induced muscle fatigue protocol consisting of repeated lunges until volitional fatigue. The three treatment conditions were assessed on three separate days in a randomized order. A 3 × 3 repeated measures ANOVA was used to investigate differences between the three treatments over the three time points and a one factor repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine any differences between treatments using the Global Rate of Change scale when considering perceived stability. Results: FR and VFR conditions both showed a greater ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) (p < 0.001), greater posteromedial and posterolateral reach distances (p < 0.001) and a better knee and ankle perceived stability (p < 0.001) when compared to the NT condition. A trend toward significance was observed in the hamstring and lumbar spine flexibility (p = 0.074) in both treatment conditions when compared to the NT condition. However, no differences were seen between the FR and VFR conditions. Conclusions: Both FR conditions seem to assist in exercise-induced muscle fatigue recovery with improvements in ROM, balance and perceived stability.

This study aimed to analyze the elite badminton players’ on-court movements related to contextual variables (game, round, and match status). A total of 18 matches of the Jakarta 2015 World Championship (1,273 points and 5,710 play actions) were examined by univariate and bivariate analyses. Significant differences were found when comparing the players’ on-court movements related to game, round, and match status (p < 0.05). All movements were executed more frequently in game 2, with the exception of diagonal large backward left (DLBL), diagonal short backward left (DSBL), diagonal short backward right (DSBR), and longitudinal short backward (LSB). The results obtained related to the round showed that longitudinal large backward (LLB) was the most frequent footwork in R1/16 and R1/2, diagonal short forward left (DSFL) was the most frequent one for R1/4, and transversal short right (TSR) was the most used movement for the final round. According to match status, no movement (NM) was the most common situation before hitting the shuttlecock at any moment during the match. This study shows how contextual variables modulate the elite players’ on-court movements. This information could be valuable for coaches and players, allowing them to better understand the players’ behavior in a competition, which could be used to design more specific training tasks and prepare match strategies in order to improve the players’ performance in competitions.

The aim of this study was to determine changes in knee biomechanics during badminton lunges due to fatigue, lunge strategy and knee bracing. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected from 16 experienced right-handed badminton players. Three factor repeated measures ANOVAs (lunge direction—fatigue—brace) were performed with Least Significant Difference pairwise comparisons. In addition, clinical assessments including; Y-balance test, one leg hop distance and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion were performed pre- and postfatigue. The knee showed significantly greater flexion during the forehand lunge compared to backhand. In contrast, the internal rotation velocity and the knee extension moment were greater during backhand. Knee angular velocity in the sagittal plane, peak knee moment and range of moment in the coronal plane and stance time showed significantly lower values postfatigue. In addition, the peak knee adduction moment showed significantly lower values in the braced condition in both the fatigued and nonfatigues states, and no significant differences were seen for peak vertical force, loading rate, approach velocity, or in any of the clinical assessment scores. There appears to be greater risk factors when performing a backhand lunge to the net compared to a forehand lunge, and proprioceptive bracing appears to reduce the loading at the knee.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in plantar pressure under the lead and trail foot between two lunge tasks to the net in the dominant (LD) and non-dominant (LND) directions, and to explore how fatigue affects the plantar pressure patterns whilst performing movements before and after a competitive match. Peak and mean pressure were measured with the Biofoot-IBV in-shoe system from five repetitions of each task, with sensors positioned under the calcaneus, midfoot and phalanges on the lead and trail foot. Data were collected pre and immediately post-playing an official first national league competition match. The study was conducted with a sample of thirteen first league badminton players. A 2 × 2 repeated ANOVA found significant differences between the two tasks and between pre- and post-match (fatigued state). Players also had different foot pressure distributions for the LD and LND tasks, which indicated a difference in loading strategy. In a fatigued state, the plantar pressure shifted to the medial aspect of the midfoot in the trail limb, indicating a reduction in control and a higher injury risk during non-dominant lunge tasks.

The purpose of the current study was to identify players' behaviours and to assess differences between genders at final singles matches of 2015 Badminton World Championship, focusing on time events, shots and court movements. Final men's (MS) and women's (WS) singles matches of 2015 Yakarta World Championship were analysed (150 points and 967 actions). Official videos from Badminton World Federation were used to carry out the post-event analysis. Variables analyzed were: 'timing factors', type of 'shots' and players' trajectories executed during the match. Descriptive (mean and % of distribution) and comparative analysis between gender and result of events (successful vs. unsuccessful) were carried out. Generally speaking, time-related variables show higher figures in the men's final than in the women's. Smash, net and lob shots occur more frequently in the men's final, whereas clear, drop and drive shots are used more often in the women's final. The hitting of the shuttlecock without any previous movement redominates over the rest or movements for both genders. In the training field, these findings may be used by coaches in order to improve athletes' performance. In research field, it could be a new way to obtain information that had not been previously taken into account.