LEG STIFFNESS
in Three Hours of Tennis Match
By Adriano Vretaros - 27\08\2017
✅ Adapted
from Girard et al (2006). Changes in exercise characteristics,
maximal voluntary contraction, and explosive strength during
prolonged tennis playing. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40
(06); 521-526.
✏️ n=12
male tennis players of regional to national level (international
tennis ranking ranging from 2 to 4)
✏️ Tennis
is a sport of intermittent characteristics and requires numerous
actions of the stretch-shortening cycle
✏️ Through
the regulation of the leg stiffness (LS) it is possible to maintain
the capacity of generation of force in the prolonged exercise
✏️ A
lower tolerance to ground impact and lower joint stiffness, directly
compromise performance in the stretch-shortening cycle
✏️ LS
measured through Multi-Rebound Jumps (MRJ): one set during 15 seconds
with rebound to the highest possible point
✅ Experimental Design: Tests in (T-0), during (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes: T-30, T-60, T-90, T-120, T-150, and T-180), and 30 minutes after (T+30) a three hour tennis match
✏️ No
significant differences were found in LS values before and after
three hours of play
✏️ However,
according to the researchers, the progressive decrease in LS found
can be attributed to:
1) decreased
central drive;
2) disfacilitation
of the stretch reflex and\or inhibition of activation through type
III and IV afferent fibres (sensitive to inflamation)
✅ See
FIGURE below
#LegStiffness,
#Tennis, #MultiReboundJumps, #ExplosiveStrength,
#Stretch-ShorteningCycle, #SportsScience, #ExercisePhysiology
0 Comments