26:T472,

Introduction: This project proposes the inclusion of functional assessment as an essential branch of a training program applied to a group of young elite judo and wrestling athletes to investigate for possible asymmetries of lower limbs, a potential cause for future injuries.

Methods: A group of young male elite Sardinian judo and wrestling athletes was randomly selected and were functionally evaluated with three different tests. Strength and balance abilities were measured while muscle power was assessed by measuring jump height, flight time and maximum contraction speed. Subjects were compared according to their right and left leg performance.

Results: Generally, no significant bilateral difference were indicated for any of the applied tests, between right and left legs in all considered parameters concerning the three utilized tests, with the exception of peak torque values of the knee extensors.

Conclusion: This study indicates that judokas are distinguished by general bilateral symmetry in certain functions. This should serve as an important guideline for both clinicians and coaches.

27:T4c7,

This study aimed to investigate the association between shoulder proprioception and shoulder rotators strength in water polo players. Twenty male water polo players aged 20.2 ± 2.3y participated in the study. Shoulder proprioception was evaluated by assessing joint position sense (JPS) at 30° of external rotation and at 30° of internal rotation. Shoulder external and internal rotators concentric and eccentric muscle strength was evaluated isokinetically at 120°/s. JPS acuity at 30° of external rotation [4.7(3.5°)] was similar to that observed at 30° of internal rotation [4.0(5.3°)]. The external/internal rotators strength ratio were 0.67 (0.23) and 0.66 (0.18), respectively for concentric and eccentric efforts while the dynamic control ratio was 0.69 [0.16]. Negative and significant correlations were found between relative error at 30° of external rotation and concentric and eccentric external rotators PT: r = −0.445 and r =−0.483, respectively, and the eccentric strength ratio of the external to internal rotators (r =−0.505). In addition the dynamic control ratio was lower than the recommended values for overhead athletes, which may expose/predispose the players to shoulder injury.

28:T505,

Healthy college-age subjects (43 men, 32 women) provided data to examine the effect of arm swing on the attainment of maximum countermovement vertical jump heights. Subject's data were collected from two laboratory visits. Maximum-effort jumps were performed, both with and without an arm swing at each visit, as peak height values were collected and recorded by an instrumented platform. A 2 (gender) x 2 (jump condition) ANOVA revealed an interaction, as jumps done with an arm swing done by men produced the highest maximum jump heights. Using two separate multivariate regression analyses, four anthropometric variables (height, body mass, upper leg length, lower leg length) explained a significant amount of variance in maximum height values for jumps done with and without an arm swing. Finally multivariate regression also revealed two upper extremity anthropometric measures (upper and lower arm lengths) accounted for a small (R $^{2} = $ 15% yet significant amount of variance in delta (jumps done with – without an arm swing) height values. Continued research should examine additional predictor variables in an attempt to explain more of the variance in jump height values.

29:T5f0,