Wang Dan, Wang Zhihai, Yang Mingming, Qu Kaiyuan, Mao Xinyu, Yang Xin, Zhang Zhiye, Shao Che, Delahunt Eamonn, Fang Wenxuan
School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
School of Acupuncture and Massage, Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025 Feb 6;13:1527730. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1527730. eCollection 2025.
Higher stiffenss is expected to augment performance by increasing the utilisation of elastic energy. However, excessive lower extremity stiffness increases the risk of bony injuries; while insufficient stiffness is associated with a higher likelihood of soft tissue injuries. Thus, there might be an 'optimal' stiffness value or range that allows for maximising athletic performance while simultaneously minimising risk of sports injury. Basketball players can be classified by position as centres, guards and forwards, with each position characterised by specific injury risks and exercise patterns. Therefore, this study aims to establish normative data for lower extremity stiffness characteristics of players in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) and compare the characteristics based on position.
A total of 124 WCBA athletes (over 70% of the WCBA teams) were recruited for this study, including 63 forwards, 22 centres and 39 guards. Stiffness was evaluated before and during the 2020-2021 WCBA season, which was averaged for data analysis. Quasi-static stiffness measurements of muscles and tendons were collected via a handheld myometer on seven sites of each leg. Vertical stiffness was also evaluated by OptoGait system.
Descriptive statistics were used to establish the normative values of stiffness for forwards, centres and guards. The Kruskal Wallis test and Bonferroni pairwise comparisons found significant higher stiffness of the left patellar tendon (PT) in guards than centres (p = 0.004) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.012), right PT stiffness in guards than centres (p = 0.016) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.017), mean PT stiffness in guards than centres (p = 0.003) and in guards than forwards (p = 0.008); stiffness of the right soleus (SOL) in guards than forwards (p = 0.033), stiffness of the left biceps femoris (BF) in forwards than centres (p = 0.049) and in guards than centres (p = 0.038); and stiffness of the left vertical stiffness (hopping) in forwards than centres (p = 0.041).
Forwards, centres and guards were characterised by significantly different stiffness values, which could be utilised for improvement of athletic performance and injury prevention.
更高的刚度有望通过增加弹性能量的利用来提高运动表现。然而，下肢刚度过度会增加骨损伤风险；而刚度不足则与软组织损伤的可能性增加有关。因此，可能存在一个“最佳”刚度值或范围，既能使运动表现最大化，又能同时将运动损伤风险降至最低。篮球运动员可按位置分为中锋、后卫和前锋，每个位置都有特定的受伤风险和运动模式。因此，本研究旨在建立中国女子篮球协会（WCBA）球员下肢刚度特征的规范数据，并根据位置比较这些特征。
本研究共招募了124名WCBA运动员（超过WCBA球队的70%），包括63名前锋、22名中锋和39名后卫。在2020 - 2021赛季WCBA赛季前及赛季期间对刚度进行评估，并对数据进行平均以进行分析。通过手持肌动计在每条腿的七个部位收集肌肉和肌腱的准静态刚度测量值。还通过OptoGait系统评估垂直刚度。
使用描述性统计方法建立了前锋、中锋和后卫刚度的规范值。Kruskal Wallis检验和Bonferroni两两比较发现，后卫左髌腱（PT）刚度显著高于中锋（p = 0.004）和前锋（p = 0.012），后卫右PT刚度高于中锋（p = 0.016）和前锋（p = 0.017），后卫平均PT刚度高于中锋（p = 0.003）和前锋（p = 0.008）；后卫右比目鱼肌（SOL）刚度高于前锋（p = 0.033），前锋左股二头肌（BF）刚度高于中锋（p = 0.049）和后卫（p = 0.038）；前锋左垂直刚度（单脚跳）高于中锋（p = 0.041）。
前锋、中锋和后卫的刚度值存在显著差异，这些差异可用于提高运动表现和预防损伤。
