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The quadricep muscles are commonly targeted for electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), while the gastrocnemius muscles, despite their crucial role in push-off, are often overlooked. The purpose was to investigate whether incorporating EMS into gastrocnemius training could optimize athletic performance. Two groups of athletes received regular gastrocnemius training (Training-only) or combined EMS into training (Training + EMS) over four weeks. The sprint time, jump height, take-off ground reaction forces, ankle and knee joint power, and electromyography were assessed before and after the training sessions. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was performed to determine any significant effect. Both training-only and training + EMS groups showed increased jump height and faster sprint time after training (P < 0. 0 0 1). The participants in the two groups also generated higher take-off force and larger ankle and knee powers after training (P < 0. 0 0 1). EMS adds no significant improvement in performance outcomes (P > 0. 0 5). This study implicates that both training-only and training + EMS can enhance sports performance and take-off force and lower-limb joint powers of the athletes, but the use of EMS can only induce minimal added improvements on gastrocnemius training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of limb dominance and lead limb in task initiation on the kinetics and kinematics of step-off drop landings. Nineteen male participants performed drop landings led by the dominant and non-dominant limbs at 45-cm and 60-cm drop heights. Ground reaction force (GRF) and lower body kinematic data were collected. Between-limb time differences at the initial ground contact were calculated to indicate temporal asymmetry. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was applied for waveform analysis while two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used for discrete parameters. SPM results revealed greater GRF and lesser ankle dorsiflexion in the lead limb compared to the trail limb in 3 out of 4 landing conditions. The dominant limb displayed a greater forefoot loading rate (45 cm: p=.009, ηp2 = 0.438; 60 cm: p=.035, ηp2 = 0.225) and greater ankle joint quasi-stiffness (45 cm: p <.001, ηp2 = 0.360; 60 cm: p <.001, ηp2 = 0.597) than the non-dominant limb. Not all 380 trials were lead-limb first landings, with a smaller between-limb time difference (p=.009, d = 0.60) at 60 cm (4.1 ± 2.3 ms) than 45 cm (5.6 ± 2.7 ms). In conclusion, the step-off drop landing is not an ideal protocol for examining bilateral asymmetry in lower limb biomechanics due to potential biases introduced by limb dominance and the step-off limb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the inter-day reliability and repeatability of change-of-direction (COD) performance to determine the minimum number of measurement trials required to represent a stable athlete's performance. Twenty-three university basketball players performed seven COD trials. Identical tests were performed two weeks later to evaluate inter-day reliability. Intra-class correlation coefficients were utilised to examine inter-day reliability for all data input methods. Separated ANOVA with repeated measures was performed to examine the trial effect. The ICC analysis indicated that data from the first trial exhibited the lowest reliability and that the fastest trial generally had higher reliability than the mean performance trial. The trial effect results revealed slower COD performance time in the first three trials than in later trials (p < 0.05), with no significant differences amongst later trials. These results suggested that at least four change-of-direction trials are required with respect to improving measurement reliability.

This systematic review investigated the effects of orthopedic, vibrating, and textured insoles on the postural balance of community-dwelling older adults. Articles published in English from 1999 to 2019 investigating the effects of (a) orthopedic, (b) vibrating, and (c) textured insoles on static and dynamic balance in community-dwelling older adults were considered. Twenty-four trials with a total of 634 older adults were identified. The information gathered generally supported the balance-improving effects of orthopedic, vibrating, and textured insoles in both static and dynamic conditions among community-dwelling older adults. Further examination found that rigidity, texture patterns, vibration thresholds, and components like arch supports and heel cups are important factors in determining whether insoles can improve balance. This review highlights the potential of insoles for improving the static and dynamic balance of community-dwelling older adults. Good knowledge in insole designs and an understanding of medical conditions of older adults are required when attempts are made to improve postural balance using insoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]