SPORTSMETRICS™ TRAINING IMPROVES POWER AND LANDING IN HIGH SCHOOL ROWERS.

BACKGROUND

Successful rowing participation requires leg power, back strength, cardiovascular endurance, and balance. SportsMetrics™ training improves lower limb alignment, hamstring peak torque, and vertical jump height; however, this training has not been used in athletes who row and may have different outcomes based on experience level.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESES: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a six-week SportsMetrics™ training program on vertical jump height (VJH), Y Balance Test (YBT), and Drop Jump Screening Test (DJST) between novice and varsity high school rowers. The authors hypothesized that following Sportsmetrics™ training; novice rowers would not be different from varsity rowers in VJH and YBT. All rowers will have improved normalized knee joint separation distance in DJST following training.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross sectional.

METHODS

52 (31 varsity: 16.4 ± 0.8 years, 62.0 ± 9.0 kg, 1.7 ± 0.1m [mean ± SD], 21 novice: 14.5 ± 0.7years, 58.6 ± 5.4 kg, 1.7 ± 0.1m [mean ± SD]) high school rowers completed the Sportsmetrics™ training and participated in the study. Varsity rowers were defined as a returner; any new rower was considered novice. Differences in age, weight, and height were examined using independent t-tests. Repeated measures ANOVA assessed pre- to post-training differences between groups in VJH, YBT composite score (CS) and reach asymmetry (ASY), and normalized knee joint separation distance (DJST).

RESULTS

VJH significantly improved for all athletes from pre- to post-training (mean ± SD: 29.0 ± 7.0 vs. 31.9 ± 5.1cm; p=0.001) and normalized knee separation distance significantly increased for all athletes pre to post training at the pre-landing (mean ± SD: 58.2 ± 12.5 vs. 68.7 ± 7.4%; p<0.001), landing (mean ± SD: 49.4 ± 18.2 vs. 66.3 ± 14.2%; p<0.001), and take off (mean ± SD: 47.8 ± 18.4 vs. 64.8 ± 13.8%; p<0.001) phases of the jump; there was no effect for group. There was no difference in varsity and novice pre to post training in YBT CS (99.3 ± 7.5 vs. 99.7 ± 7.1%; p=0.53) or ANT ASY (mean ± SD: 3.4 ± 4.6 vs. 2.7 ± 2.3; p=0.36).

CONCLUSIONS

SportsMetrics™ training improved VJH regardless of experience level; which suggests that rowers may have more leg power following training. Normalized knee joint separation distance increased to greater than 60% of hip joint separation distance following training, indicating that training reduced serious knee injury risk.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.