No abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of footwear with increased ankle support on ankle kinematics and on impact loads during landing from a vertical jump using high-speed cinematography, dynamometry and accelerometry in a series of tests in which a rebound action was simulated. To analyse the effect of this increased support on motor performance, two performance tests were designed: a vertical jump test and an obstacle course running test. Two prototype shoes with identical soles but different uppers were used. The first was designed to provide greater ankle support, with such features as a high top, heel counters and a rearfoot lacing system. The second prototype was a less supporting shoe, with low top and no heel counter or any other feature for support. In the shock attenuation test, the use of high-support shoes resulted in higher forefoot impact forces and higher shock transmission to the head, but showed lower shock transmission to the tibia. The use of high support shoes resulted in lower ranges of eversion and higher ranges of inversion of the ankle on landing. In the motor performance tests, the high-support shoes reduced the height jumped and increased the time to complete the running course relative to the low-support shoes. We conclude that increased ankle support reduces ankle eversion range but increases shock transmission, and reduces both jumping and running performance.

Purpose: The pressure exerted on racket sports players by the service has been well documented. Whilst the return of serve has been suggested through qualitative interviews as being of similar importance there is a dearth of quantitative data to support this contention. This study analyzed time, speed, and distance parameters related to the outcome of the return of serve (ROS) in Padel, a sport similar to tennis but played on a court bounded by walls and played in doubles format only. Methods: Matches ( n = 18) at two tournaments, sanctioned by the Valencian Federation, in 2012 were recorded and processed using Tracker software. ROS shot type (flat or lob), ball location, players’ positions on court and movement parameters between the ROS and the third shot of the server were captured 25 times per second. Results: Both lob and flat ROS produced six main clusters, as well as a small proportion of shots deemed outliers. The clusters differentiated shots played by two different level players (National and Regional), whether the ROS was played following a first or second serve, whether the serving pair adopted a conventional or Australian formation and whether the rally ended in a short number of shots (seven or less) or not. Conclusion: It was suggested that the aim of the ROS in Padel was to prevent the serving pair winning the rally quickly, since the advantage of the serve diminished after around 6 to 8 shots. This was best achieved by good depth on lobs, regardless of the direction, and pace on low shots, predominately aimed toward the server. This approach should be further modified to include the time between serve and ROS and consideration could be given to classifying attacking and defending positions.

Ramón-Llin J, Guzmán J, Llana S, Vučković G, James N. Comparison of distance covered in paddle in the serve team according to performance level. J. Hum. Sport Exerc. Vol. 8, No. Proc3, pp. S738-S742, 2013. Although paddle is the second most practiced sport in Spain, the scientific knowledge about the players' work-load is still very low. The serve is a critical situation because the team has the opportunity to start the point attacking by approaching the net straight after the serve. However, the distance covered by the serve team still has not been studied in pádel. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyse the distance covered by the serve team according performance level. It was hypothesized that the server would cover more distance than his partner due to the approach to the net after the serve. Moreover, it also was hypothesized that the difference between serve and partner would be greater to the highest performance level. METHODS: We analysed a sample of 1500 points divided in 3 levels of performance (high, medium and recreational, 500 points each one). We compared the distance covered between the server and his partner in 500 hundred points to each level performance. The points were taken from 14 matches (4 of high, 5 of medium and 5 of recreational level). SAGIT software (Vučković et al., 2002) was used to get the data. Analyses were performed with Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test were performed. At high level, the median of distance covered by the server was of 10.7 meters, significantly greater than the 7.5 meters covered by the partner of the server (Z = -11.7; p < .001). At medium level, the median of distance covered by the server was of 9.2 meters, also significantly greater than the 6.6 meters covered by the partner of the server (Z = -12.1; p < .001). At recreational level, the median of distance covered by the server was of 8.4 meters, also significantly greater than the 6.1 meters covered by the partner of the server (Z = -10,2; p < .001). DISCUSION: Independently of the level performance, the player serving covered more distance than his partner. These results have implications to training and tactics used in games, as the decision about what player is going to start serving each set, the skill fullest or the toughest.

Racket sports such as padel are characterized by the repetition of unilateral gestures, which can lead to negative adaptations like asymmetries or overuse musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in ball impact positions (i.e., forward or backward of the center of gravity) in nine stroke types in a sample of forty-eight recreational male padel players. The sample included 14,478 shots corresponding to 18 matches from six tournaments. Forty-eight male padel players were classified into two groups according to their level: trained (n = 24) and novice (n = 24). Type of stroke and ball impact position were registered using a computerized motion tracking video system. The ball impact position was computed from the distance (cm) between the coordinates of the ball and the player’s center of gravity. Results show that trained players hit the ball in a more backward position (from 11 to 25 cm, compared to novice) in serve and offensive strokes (volleys, trays, and smashes) but used more forward strokes (from 7 to 32 cm, compared to novice) in defensive shots (groundstrokes, wall strokes, and lobs). Because the current differential variables are trainable and demonstrated to be of relevance for performance, the findings of this study may assist padel coaches in designing proper training plans to improve effectiveness and to prevent musculoskeletal injuries regarding the type of stroke and ball impact position. Such knowledge may constitute a very important factor affecting technique, biomechanics, and injury management in padel players of different competitive levels.