The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on maintaining balance in highly skilled handball players during the performance of the modified Romberg test.
As part of a larger ...investigation that was initiated in 2019, twelve professional handball players were recruited to participate in a study that was designed to measure static balance performance. Following the initial pre-test, six participants (body height 184.8 ± 4.7 cm; body weight 85.5 ± 3.3 kg; age 21.3 ± 1.2 years) contracted COVID-19. The remaining six participants (body height 188.7 ± 2.6 cm; body weight 92.3 ± 3.7 kg; age 26.3 ± 3.3 years) never tested positive for COVID-19 and pre-sumably were not infected with the virus. The experimental design required all participants to complete an initial balance assessment (pre-test) and a later balance assessment (post-test). To fully analyze our data, we conducted a 2 (condition: COVID, no-COVID) X 2 (test: pre-test, post-test) ANOVA with repeated measures on the second factor.
Our research results showed that the skilled handball players who contracted COVID-19 mani-fested a significant decrease in balance performance from the pre-test which occurred prior to being infected with COVID-19 relative to the post-test which occurred following the COVID-19 infection.
In conclusion, the results we have reported here are the first to show an objectively measured association between COVID-19 and the ability to maintain balance. Further intensive multifaceted research on this issue is needed.
Introduction: Coaches and fitness trainers strive through various testing methods to identify appropriate short-term training techniques to achieve the greatest improvements in athletic performance ...in the shortest possible time. Therefore, studies are needed to evaluate the effects of handball-specific training on selected physical fitness (speed, agility, explosive power, and explosive arm strength) and physiological variables (body fat, body mass, capacity, maximal heart rate, anaerobic endurance) of handball players. The main aim of this study was to develop a complementary strength training program for the development of physical training of professional handball players at junior level, as well as the selection of a test methods to assess fitness. Materials and methods: The research was conducted over a period of 12 months, and during this time a complementary strength training program was applied on an experimental group. The experimental group was represented by 16 junior I athletes from the SCM Politehnica Timișoara handball club, and the control group consisted of 16 junior I athletes from the CSM Resita handball club. The tests aimed the evaluation of the following parameters: body composition and strength before and after training for both groups. Results and discussions: The results obtained show a slight progress of the experimental group in front of the control group in terms of body composition, but an important progress in terms of strength. Conclusions: The study validated that through the modern means of training applied, substantial contributions are made to the increase of sports performance.
Background/purpose
The relationship between a handball player's upper body posture, body weight distribution in relation to body height is poorly understood. So, this study explored the relationship ...between body height and sagittal spinal curvatures and plantar pressure distribution in handball players.
Method
According to handball player's body height, 63 male handball players were divided into two groups; group A (age, 23.54 ± 1.32 years) consisted of 30 handball players with body height above average, and group B (age, 23.40 ± 1.73 years) consisted of 33 handball players with body height below average. The thoracic and lumbar curvatures and trunk height were measured with the Formetric III 4D spine, and the DIERS Pedoscan device was used to assess the plantar pressure distribution for both groups.
Results
The thoracic kyphosis of group A was significantly higher than that of group B ( p = 0.001), without a significant difference in lumbar lordosis ( p = 0.086). Group A showed a significant increase in the forefeet pressure and a significant decrease in the rearfeet pressure compared to group B ( p = 0.001). There was a high positive correlation between the body height and trunk length, and body height and kyphosis angle ( r = 0.932, r = 0.665, respectively). There was a high positive correlation between the body height and forefoot plantar pressure ( r = 0.665, p < 0.01).
Conclusion
The taller handball players have an increased thoracic kyphosis angle and forefeet pressure compared to shorter handball players.
Purpose: To assess the foot posture and hip joint mobility of elite handball and soccer players and to investigate possible correlations between these measurements. Methods: We compared the ...differences in means of Foot Posture Index (FPI), passive hip internal (IR), and external (ER) rotation range of motion (ROM) between three groups of male subjects (17 handball players, 17 soccer players, and 16 non-athletes). The Kruskal-Walli’s test and post-hoc pairwise comparison with the Mann-Whitney U test were used to determine the differences between the group means, and associations between variables were analyzed with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results: No significant differences in the mean FPI were found between the soccer players (1.3 ± 2.9), handball players (0.7 ± 2.1), and the control group (1.7 ± 2.5) (p > 0.05). Similarly, no significant difference was found between the groups in the hip ER ROM. In contrast, a significantly lower (p < 0.05) hip IR ROM was observed in the soccer players (30.6° ± 5.3°) compared to the handball players (41.0° ± 8.1°) and the control group (41.1° ± 6.4°). A weak positive correlation was only observed between the FPI and hip IR ROM in the soccer players (ρ: 0.36, p = 0.035). Conclusions: Handball and soccer players show a tendency toward less pronated feet compared to non-athletes, but the differences are not significant and the mean FPI values are still within the range of normal foot posture. The range of hip IR seems to be reduced in soccer players and weakly, but significantly and positively associated with the FPI value, which needs to be further investigated in future studies.
PURPOSE This study aimed to develop a Handball Academy Korea Physical Fitness Test Battery for youth handball athletes considering their characteristics using the Delphi/AHP method. METHODS After ...reviewing previous studies, an expert meeting was held to draft a battery. To select physical fitness variables, 17 experts with more than 10 years of research or coaching experience in related fields were invited. The contact validity of each variable was verified using the 1st and 2nd Delphi surveys. A decision-making method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to assign weights to each factor in the final physical fitness battery, which was selected based on the results of the Delphi survey. RESULTS Ten physical fitness factors, namely, length (CVR=1.00), weight (CVR=0.67), muscle strength (CVR=0.67), muscular endurance (CVR=0.83), cardiorespiratory fitness (CVR=0.83), flexibility (CVR=0.67), power (CVR=1.00), agility (CVR=1.00), speed (CVR=0.80), coordination (CVR=1.00), were determined. As test variables for physical fitness, height (CVR=0.83), arm span (CVR=0.67), lean body mass (CVR=0.64), handgrip strength (CVR=0.83), push-up (CVR=0.67), 20 m shuttle run (CVR=1.00), sit-and-reach (CVR=0.83), standing long jump (CVR=0.76), countermovement jump (CVR=0.67), ball speed (CVR=0.67), rollercoaster run (CVR=0.83), visual reaction (CVR=0.83), 20 m sprint (CVR=0.83), and ball handling (CVR=0.67) were found to be valid. Weight was calculated according to the relative importance of the determined variables. CONCLUSIONS The present findings indicate that the Handball Academy Korea Physical Fitness Test Battery can be used to evaluate the physical fitness of youth handball athletes and select potential players.
Given that anxiety is a significant individual disposition that affects sports performance, this study aimed to verify the latent variables obtained by the State – Trait Anxiety Inventory X-2, and to ...compare the obtained factor solutions with the proposed model of latent variables. The second aim refers to the presentation of the results of the questionnaire State – Trait Anxiety Inventory X-2 answered by Serbian male and female handball players. The research was conducted on a sample of 170 respondents, 99 male and 71 female handball players, aged 14 to 39 years (average age = 21.9) with an average handball playing career of 9.39 years. Towards the end of 2019, the respondents filled in the above-mentioned questionnaire used to assess anxiety as a personality trait. Exploratory factor analysis with certain modifications of the algorithm was applied to determine accurately latent space. The overall analysis was performed using the R statistical package. Four factors were selected based on the conducted factor analysis of the latent space of the questionnaire. Ten, five, three and two items are projected on the first, second, third and fourth factor respectively. Since internal reliability of the fourth factor was 0.394 it was excluded from further consideration and interpretation. The achieved scores on four separate factors show that Serbian male and female handball players achieve average results on the first (Presence of Trait anxiety) and the third factor (Absence of proactivity), while they achieve scores above the average on the second factor (Positive affect). In order to examine the sex differences between the examined variables, a one-way analysis of variance was performed. The findings show that there is no statistically significant difference on all three factors between the scores achieved by male and female handball players. A statistically significant difference between handball players of different competitive ranks appeared only on the Positive affect factor between the top athletes and the athletes in the second league (p = .04).
In the theory and methodology of handball the concept of strength capacity is highlighted as part of physical training, and references are made and adapted to the game of handball. Determining the ...level of strength capacity in junior handball and analysis of responses to the questionnaire of handball coaches (who actively sought Strength development in handball at the junior level) will be practical and methodological foundation for organizing and conducting experimental research based on teaching. The research purpose is to achieve a preliminary study (questionnaire) regarding the development of the ability to strength the junior handball. Instructional strategy aimed at developing specific strength capacity in handball and it should have a well-defined and specified influence in the physical training of junior handball endpoints, intermediate lesson that must be met in order to increase the performance level of the players.
Although beach handball is a popular sport worldwide, information about the functional profile in elite athletes are lacking. This study generate a descriptive profile of stability, performance and ...upper and lower extremities ROM in elite beach handball athletes. Secondary proposals were to compare these outcome measures between sexes and sides, and to report the frequency of athletes “at risk” according to cutoff values for shoulder ROM and dynamic postural stability of the lower extremities. Twenty-eight (n = 16 males, 28.7 ± 5.3 years; n = 12 females, 27.5 ± 5.5 years) elite beach handball athletes were tested. Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), single hop test, modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) and passive shoulder, hip and ankle dorsiflexion ROM were assessed. Male athletes presented greater reach distance in the anterior direction P < .0001; Mean Difference (MD): 36% and lower reach distance in the posteromedial direction (P < .0001; MD: −29.7%) than female athletes in the mSEBT. Bilateral differences were observed for male athletes during the mSEBT, with the dominant stance limb obtaining a smaller reach distance in the anterior direction (P < .01; MD: −38.3%) and greater reach distance in the posteromedial direction (P < .0001; MD: 30.8%). Male athletes had less upper and lower extremities ROM and reached a smaller normalized single hop distance than female athletes. Most athletes presented mSEBT asymmetries and shoulder ROM deficits which have been shown to increase injury risk. Dynamic postural stability adaptations are present in elite beach handball athletes of both sexes, with more pronounced upper and lower extremity flexibility deficits in male athletes.
•Dynamic postural stability deficits are presented in both male and female beach handball athletes.•Upper and lower extremities ROM deficits are more pronounced in male athletes.•Most athletes presented mSBET asymmetries and shoulder ROM in an injury range of risk.
Abstract Aim: The study aimed to investigate the effects of the somatotype components on handball. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 elite junior handball players. Somatotype was evaluated using ...the Heath & Carter method. The kinetic performance trials of the handball athletes were running speed performance over 5 m 10 m and 20 m sprints, sit and reach, standing long jump (SLJ), ball velocity, and maximum aerobic power. For the data analyses, we used Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. Results: The endomorphic component correlated positive with all three sprint times (5 m, 10 m και 30 m sprints) (r = 0.315, p = 0.014; r = 0.367, p = 0.004; r = 0.358, p = 0.005 respectively) while negative with SLJ (r = -0.418, p = 0.001) και maximum aerobic power (r = -0.322, p = 0.012). The mesomorphic component had a positive correlation with ball velocity (r = 0.260, p = 0.045) and negative relation with SLJ (r = -0.261, p = 0.044). The ectomorphic component exhibited a negative correlation only with ball velocity (r = -0.260, p = 0.045). The ordinary least square regression models found that endomorphy and ectomorphy were prognostic factors and predicted worse performance in all of the examined motor performance indices except ball velocity and 5 m sprint, while mesomorphy was a predictor of worse performance in SLJ. Conclusions: In conclusion, according to the findings of this study, somatotype components play an important role in performance-related parameters.
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