Isokinetic Strength Profile of Elite Female Handball Players

Abstract

Systematic assessment of muscle strength of the lower extremities throughout the annual training cycle in athletes is crucial from a performance perspective for the optimization of the training process, as well as a health perspective with regard to injury prevention. The main aim of the present study was to determine isokinetic muscle strength of the knee flexors and extensors in female handball players at the beginning of a preparatory period and to assess whether there were any differences between players of different performance levels. The performance level was expressed by means of membership of the Women’s Junior National Handball Team (JNT, n=8) or the Women’s National Handball Team (NT, n=9). The isokinetic peak torque during concentric and eccentric single-joint knee flexion and extension was measured at angular velocities of 60, 180, 240°/s (concentric) and 60°/s (eccentric). The Mann-Whitney test showed no significant differences in the peak torques or ipsilateral ratios between the two groups. The bilateral force deficit (BFD) for concentric extension at 240°/s was significantly higher in the JNT compared with the NT (p=0.04; d=1.02). However, the results of individual evaluation show that the BFD was more frequent in the NT in most measurements. A high BFD was evident in the eccentric mode in both groups highlighting a need for particular strengthening. With regard to low strength ratios a prevention programme should be suggested for both observed groups of professional female handball players to reduce the risk of injury.

Profiling the Isokinetic Muscle Strength of Athletes Involved in Sports Characterized by Constantly Varied Functional Movements Performed at High Intensity: A Cross‐Sectional Study

“…Our volunteers demonstrated lower strength values of knee flexor and extensor muscles than previous data of elite soccer players . Athletes of both sexes involved with FMHI, however, demonstrated higher shoulder strength values than those demonstrated by women wrestlers and by elite female athletes or male handball players .…”

Unilateral and Ipsilateral Strength Asymmetries in Elite Youth Soccer Players With Respect to Muscle Group and Limb Dominance

“…Arm asymmetry was also observed in professional tennis players, with approximately 20 % more bone mineral content and muscle mass in the dominant arm (Calbet et al, 1998). Xaverova et al (2015), found that a bilateral force deficit is more frequent in adult female handball players compared to junior players, which could be due to long-term unilateral orientation of handball-specific skills. Strength asymmetry across the body has been shown to be linked to increased prevalence of injury (McCall et al, 2014) and impaired performance in athletes (Young et al, 2002).…”

Influencia de la reconstrucción del ligamento cruzado anterior sobre la calidad de vida, nivel de confianza y retorno al deporte: un seguimiento de 15 años

“…Otro factor fuertemente involucrado con la incidencia de la lesión del LCA, es el equilibrio muscular entre el cuádriceps e isquiotibiales, que algunos autores consideran como un factor intrínseco, por ser una cualidad individual de la característica de las fibras y otros extrínsecos por tener una característica específica para el deporte practicado, posición y tiempo de entrenamiento (Xaverova et al, 2015). Los valores de referencia poblacional adoptados para evaluar la condición de fuerza de la paciente se basaron en el estudio de Danneskiold-Samsoe et al (2009), que determina los valores de torque concéntricos en 132N para extensores y 74.4N para flexores y valores cerca del 30% mayores de torque excéntrico (Xaverova et al, 2015).…”

“…Los valores de referencia poblacional adoptados para evaluar la condición de fuerza de la paciente se basaron en el estudio de Danneskiold-Samsoe et al (2009), que determina los valores de torque concéntricos en 132N para extensores y 74.4N para flexores y valores cerca del 30% mayores de torque excéntrico (Xaverova et al, 2015). En relación con los valores poblacionales y los de la paciente, se percibe respecto a los valores concéntricos, que presentaba, con excepción de la evaluación del 2008, valores inferiores a los predichos para su franja etaria, de acuerdo a además de los largos periodos de rehabilitación y las expectativas para un nuevo retorno frustrado al deporte.…”