Journal of Sport Sciences and Health Research
Volume:5 Issue: 11, 2014

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of hip and ankle joint abductor/adductors fatigue on the dynamic balance of soccer players. 20 male physical education students (Mean±SD, age: 20.24±0.73 yrs, height: 170.27±4.28 cm, weight: 67.38±7.24 kg, and BMI: 23.22±2.02 kg/m²) who participated three times per week in university soccer team program, without any lower extremity injury voluntarily participated in this study. In order to estimate the participant's dynamic balance, Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) in eight directions was applied after a short warm-up. Dynamometer Isokinetic Biodex was used to execute fatigue in hip and ankle joint abductor/adductor muscles. Each subject participated in two muscle fatigue sessions. In each session, the fatigue program was randomly assigned to one of the muscle groups of hip abductor/adductor and ankle joint evertor/inventor in repeated contractions until reaching 50% of primary maximum torque with the interval of 72 hours in the same situation as far as possible. Afterwards, SEBT posttest was conducted. Descriptive statistics, dependent t test and variance analysis (with repeated measures) was used for statistical analysis at P<0.05. The isokinetic fatigue of hip and ankle joint abductor/adductors significantly decreased the accessible distance in SEBT test. Furthermore, fatigue program in the hip abductor/adductors decreased the accessible distance more than the ankle joint evertor/inventors. Due to the results, the fatigue of hip abductor/adductors was more effective in the dynamic balance of soccer players than ankle joint evertor/inventors.

From injury risk perspective, a change in body direction during fast sport movements is always noticeable while ACL injury is an important mechanism. This research aimed at comparing high-risk patterns of ACL injury in dominant and non-dominant legs of males and females during cutting maneuver. Participants were national and club squash players including 13 females (mean age: 23.04±6.6 yr, height: 163.3±5.4 cm, weight: 61.60±5 kg) and 13 males (mean age: 24.7±4.1 yr, height: 179.9±5.8cm, weight: 78.8±7.8 kg). In order to measure knee flexion, trunk flexion, trunk lateral flexion and knee valgus angles during cutting maneuver and in two phases of initial foot contact with the ground and mid stance, cutting maneuver with dominant and non-dominant legs was analyzed. After the markers had been installed, cutting maneuver was recorded by Casio Exilim camera with 300 Hz frequency and the recorded movements were analyzed by WinAnalyze software (Version D34-1). SPSS (version 20) and Paired-samples t test were used to compare the angles obtained by the motion analysis of dominant and non-dominant legs. The results indicated that knee and trunk joint angles during cutting maneuver had a significant difference between dominant and non-dominant legs of females while this difference was significant in two parameters of knee and trunk flexion at initial contact among males (P􀂕0.05). These results showed that high-risk patterns of ACL injury had a higher rate of incidence in cutting maneuver with non-dominant leg. Thus ACL injury risk is higher in the cutting maneuver with non-dominant leg than dominant leg.

The aim of this study was to compare the compressive and shear forces of ankle joint in subjects with flat foot and pes cavus foot. 30 female university students (10 subjects with flat feet, 10 subjects with pes cavus feet, 10 subjects with normal feet) (mean age 23±1.7 year, height 165±2.5 cm and weight 53±2.5 kg) participated in this study. Compressive and shear forces of ankle joint were calculated using inverse dynamic method. Navicular- Drop Test was used to measure the arch rate of the foot. One-factor ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test the hypotheses (P􀂔0.05). The statistical results showed a significant difference between pes cavus and normal feet, pes cavus and flat feet as well as between normal feet and flat feet in the compressive force of the ankle joint (P<0.001). Also, findings showed a significant difference between pes cavus feet and flat feet (P=0.029) and normal feet and flat feet in the shear force of the ankle joint (P=0.001). No significant difference was observed between normal feet and pes cavus feet in the shear force of the ankle joint (P=0.163). Accordingly, increasing compressive force of ankle joint could be a predisposing factor to ankle sprain and bone injuries in pes cavus feet.

Although communication problem is the main defect resulted from hearing impairment, other physical problems may be associated with it. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of upper extremity in male and female hearing-impaired and normal-hearing students with Y Balance Test of Upper Quarter (YBT-UQ). The sample was comprised of 80 students including 40 congenital severe to profound hearing-impaired girls and boys (age: 18.10±2.77 yr and 17.95±2.56 yr) and 40 normal-hearing girls and boys (age: 17.55±0.60 yr and 17.60±0.56 yr) who were selected by the purposive non-random method from normal and deaf high schools in Guilan province. Subject's personal information, height, weight and medical records were collected using their medical profiles. The YBT-UQ was used to evaluate the performance of upper extremity in the closed kinematic chain under medial, inferior – lateral and superior – lateral directions. To compare the group's performance and directions, one-way ANOVA was used while paired t test was used to compare dominant and non-dominant extremity. Results revealed no significant difference between the performance of dominant and non-dominant upper extremities in all groups (P􀂔0.05). There were significant differences among the four groups: boys without hearing-impairment, boys with hearing-impairment, girls without hearing-impairment, and girls with hearing-impairment performed better (P<0.05). However, only the difference between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired girls was not statistically significant (P􀂕0.05). In conclusion, there was no difference in performing YBT-UQ between dominant and non-dominant upper limbs; therefore, this test can be used to evaluate and examine the injured limb. Also, regarding the defect in the dynamic balance performance of hearing-impaired subjects and the effect of gender on this defect and the importance of the upper extremity in daily routines, it is necessary to design and implement plans aiming at improving their performance.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an eight-week corrective exercise program on plantar pressure distribution pattern in adolescents with genu varum deformity. 12 male adolescents aged between 13 and 17 with genu varum deformity were assigned in experimental group and 12 subjects without this deformity were selected as the control group. Foot plantar pressure measurement system was used to measure foot plantar parameters in stance phase of walking. Experimental group received an eight-week corrective exercise program. A pretest and posttest was conducted in the beginning and at the end of the study. The data were analyzed by independent and dependent t tests (P<0.05). Pretest results showed that the experimental group had a greater plantar peak pressure under the toes 2-5 areas in comparison with the control group (P=0.018). Moreover, the center of foot pressure in the exterior-interior lateral direction in the heel contact phase had more supination (P=0.049). Corrective exercises reduced peak plantar pressure in the toes 2-5 region in the experimental group (P=0.022) while no significant difference was observed in the amounts of the center of foot pressure in the interior-exterior lateral direction (P􀒹0.05). According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that corrective exercises improves plantar pressure distribution pattern among individuals with genu varum as well as the walking pattern.

When athletes enter professional activities, they may face abnormalities which are variable depending on the type of sport activities. Forward head, shoulder mal-alignments and spinal column are the main postural deviations in athletes with overhead activity. These abnormalities make athletes prone to injury. This research was conducted with 68 athletes from MES KERMAN, STAR FOROUGH KERMAN and SAMENOL HOJAJ MASHAD teams who were selected by accessible method. The subjects were divided into two groups: injured (N=40, age=24.27±4.43 yr, height= 186.55±7.24 cm, weight=85.17±10.06 kg) and healthy (N=28, age=23.85±3.82 yr, height=183.67±8.36 cm, weight=82.32±9.27 kg) using exclusion criteria. To assess forward head, a goniometer was used; to assess kyphosis, a flexicurve and to assessment ROM, Leighton flexometer were used. To study subject's injuries, self-report injury form was used. Data were analyzed with SPSS20, independent t test and Pearson correlation coefficient (P􀂔0.05).The results showed a significant difference in angle of kyphosis curve (P􀂔0.013) and forward head (P􀂔0.001) between healthy and injured handball players. Also, there was a significant difference between the angle of kyphosis curve and ROM of internal rotation of dominant hand (r=0.72, P􀂔0.001), external rotation of dominant hand (r= -0.48, P􀂔0.002), internal rotation of non-dominant hand (r=0.79, P􀂔0.001), external rotation of non-dominant hand (r= -0.42, P􀂔0.038) and shoulder joint of injured handball players. It can be concluded that if athlete enter professional sports and repeatedly train the specific skills, it may cause postural abnormalities and injury. These abnormalities cause kinematic changes in joints.