Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump
Drop jump (DJ) performance gain with increasing drop height is well documented in adults, but there is still no clear evidence of such gain in children. This study aimed to examine the differences in DJ performance gain in male adults and prepubescent boys by comparing drop heights tailored to each...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Sports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/11/1/1 |
| _version_ | 1797946557967892480 |
|---|---|
| author | Eleni Bassa Ilias Adamopoulos Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos Anthi Xenofondos Athanasios Yannakos Christos Galazoulas Dimitrios A. Patikas |
| author_facet | Eleni Bassa Ilias Adamopoulos Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos Anthi Xenofondos Athanasios Yannakos Christos Galazoulas Dimitrios A. Patikas |
| author_sort | Eleni Bassa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Drop jump (DJ) performance gain with increasing drop height is well documented in adults, but there is still no clear evidence of such gain in children. This study aimed to examine the differences in DJ performance gain in male adults and prepubescent boys by comparing drop heights tailored to each individual’s performance and expressed as a percentage of their squat jump (SJ) performance. Fifteen boys (9–11 y) and 15 men (19–27 y) executed DJs from drop heights that were set at 75%, 100%, 125%, and 150% of their best performance in SJ (DJ<sub>75</sub>, DJ<sub>100</sub>, DJ<sub>125</sub>, and DJ<sub>150</sub>, respectively). Vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), contact time and kinematics of the lower extremities were captured. The results showed that boys jumped significantly lower than adults in DJs, and both age groups presented jumping gain with increasing drop height, up to DJ<sub>125</sub>. Boys demonstrated longer total contact time, lower angular velocity and vGRF during the propulsive phase, as well as smaller knee flexion at touchdown and lower reactive strength index. vGRF in DJ<sub>75</sub> and DJ<sub>100</sub> was lower than in DJ<sub>125</sub> and DJ<sub>150</sub>. The highest value for maximum knee flexion was also presented at DJ<sub>150</sub>. It is concluded that in prepubescent boys, the appropriate drop height for an effective DJ is linked to their performance in SJ and might be between 75% and 125% of their maximum SJ performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:12:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a4a695a330041b195c8be72c001edc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:12:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a4a695a330041b195c8be72c001edc42023-01-20T15:37:37ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632022-12-01111110.3390/sports11010001Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat JumpEleni Bassa0Ilias Adamopoulos1Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos2Anthi Xenofondos3Athanasios Yannakos4Christos Galazoulas5Dimitrios A. Patikas6Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceBiomechanics Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Education, Frederick University, Limassol 3080, CyprusBiomechanics Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 62110 Serres, GreeceDrop jump (DJ) performance gain with increasing drop height is well documented in adults, but there is still no clear evidence of such gain in children. This study aimed to examine the differences in DJ performance gain in male adults and prepubescent boys by comparing drop heights tailored to each individual’s performance and expressed as a percentage of their squat jump (SJ) performance. Fifteen boys (9–11 y) and 15 men (19–27 y) executed DJs from drop heights that were set at 75%, 100%, 125%, and 150% of their best performance in SJ (DJ<sub>75</sub>, DJ<sub>100</sub>, DJ<sub>125</sub>, and DJ<sub>150</sub>, respectively). Vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), contact time and kinematics of the lower extremities were captured. The results showed that boys jumped significantly lower than adults in DJs, and both age groups presented jumping gain with increasing drop height, up to DJ<sub>125</sub>. Boys demonstrated longer total contact time, lower angular velocity and vGRF during the propulsive phase, as well as smaller knee flexion at touchdown and lower reactive strength index. vGRF in DJ<sub>75</sub> and DJ<sub>100</sub> was lower than in DJ<sub>125</sub> and DJ<sub>150</sub>. The highest value for maximum knee flexion was also presented at DJ<sub>150</sub>. It is concluded that in prepubescent boys, the appropriate drop height for an effective DJ is linked to their performance in SJ and might be between 75% and 125% of their maximum SJ performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/11/1/1vertical jumpdevelopmentage differencesstretch-shortening cycleperformanceground reaction forces |
| spellingShingle | Eleni Bassa Ilias Adamopoulos Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos Anthi Xenofondos Athanasios Yannakos Christos Galazoulas Dimitrios A. Patikas Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump Sports vertical jump development age differences stretch-shortening cycle performance ground reaction forces |
| title | Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump |
| title_full | Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump |
| title_fullStr | Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump |
| title_short | Optimal Drop Height in Prepubertal Boys Is Revealed by the Performance in Squat Jump |
| title_sort | optimal drop height in prepubertal boys is revealed by the performance in squat jump |
| topic | vertical jump development age differences stretch-shortening cycle performance ground reaction forces |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/11/1/1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elenibassa optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT iliasadamopoulos optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT vassiliospanoutsakopoulos optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT anthixenofondos optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT athanasiosyannakos optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT christosgalazoulas optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump AT dimitriosapatikas optimaldropheightinprepubertalboysisrevealedbytheperformanceinsquatjump |