Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players

Abstract Background Olympic handball is a sport mainly focused on executing throwing and passing techniques with the throwing arm. Functional specialization due to the unilateral characteristic and dominance of the throwing arm may lead to adapted control of shoulder stability and mobility. Thus, we...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Julian Bauer, Simon Schedler, Stephan Fischer, Thomas Muehlbauer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-08-01
Series:BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13102-020-00199-4
_version_ 1818213773668777984
author Julian Bauer
Simon Schedler
Stephan Fischer
Thomas Muehlbauer
author_facet Julian Bauer
Simon Schedler
Stephan Fischer
Thomas Muehlbauer
author_sort Julian Bauer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Olympic handball is a sport mainly focused on executing throwing and passing techniques with the throwing arm. Functional specialization due to the unilateral characteristic and dominance of the throwing arm may lead to adapted control of shoulder stability and mobility. Thus, we examined side differences between the throwing and the non-throwing arm. Additionally, correlations between the Upper Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-UQ) and handball-specific performance measures were investigated. Methods All participants (F = 13 yrs., n = 14, training experience [te] 5.9 ± 1.3 yrs.; M = 14 yrs., n = 24, te 6.5 ± 2.5 yrs.; M = 15 yrs., n = 18, te 9.3 ± 2.2 yrs) were Olympic handball players of a regional youth selection team. YBT-UQ was executed assessing performance in medial, inferolateral and superolateral reach direction normalized to the upper limb length together with a composite score of the mean of all reach directions. A radar gun and a target net were used for the assessment of throwing velocity and throwing accuracy. The paired t-test was used to detect side differences in YBT-UQ performance. Pearson’s correlation analysis was calculated for associations between YBT-UQ and throwing velocity/accuracy. Results Significant differences between the throwing and non-throwing arm were only detected for the superolateral reach direction in the 14-year-old males. Small correlations between YBT-UQ performance and throwing velocity/accuracy (13-year-old females: − 0.01 ≤ r ≤ − 0.37 / 0.01 ≤ r ≤ 0.31; 14-year-old males: 0.10 ≤ r ≤ 0.45 / -0.01 ≤ r ≤ .-0.51; 15-year-old males: 0.06 ≤ r ≤ 0.34 / 0.01 ≤ r ≤ − 0.45) were observed, irrespective of age and sex category. Conclusions There was only a minimal difference in performance of the YBT-UQ between the throwing and non-throwing arm and only weak if any relationships between throwing performance and stability/mobility of the upper extremities in adolescent Olympic handball players existed. Further research is needed to investigate whether the YBT-UQ is a useful tool to detect training-related improvements in measures of shoulder stability/mobility and functional performance.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T06:09:37Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b5409897c91f4c36b4d29ec7c5ef5a0f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2052-1847
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T06:09:37Z
publishDate 2020-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
spelling doaj.art-b5409897c91f4c36b4d29ec7c5ef5a0f2022-12-22T00:35:11ZengBMCBMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation2052-18472020-08-011211810.1186/s13102-020-00199-4Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball playersJulian Bauer0Simon Schedler1Stephan Fischer2Thomas Muehlbauer3Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-EssenDivision of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-EssenDivision of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-EssenDivision of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-EssenAbstract Background Olympic handball is a sport mainly focused on executing throwing and passing techniques with the throwing arm. Functional specialization due to the unilateral characteristic and dominance of the throwing arm may lead to adapted control of shoulder stability and mobility. Thus, we examined side differences between the throwing and the non-throwing arm. Additionally, correlations between the Upper Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-UQ) and handball-specific performance measures were investigated. Methods All participants (F = 13 yrs., n = 14, training experience [te] 5.9 ± 1.3 yrs.; M = 14 yrs., n = 24, te 6.5 ± 2.5 yrs.; M = 15 yrs., n = 18, te 9.3 ± 2.2 yrs) were Olympic handball players of a regional youth selection team. YBT-UQ was executed assessing performance in medial, inferolateral and superolateral reach direction normalized to the upper limb length together with a composite score of the mean of all reach directions. A radar gun and a target net were used for the assessment of throwing velocity and throwing accuracy. The paired t-test was used to detect side differences in YBT-UQ performance. Pearson’s correlation analysis was calculated for associations between YBT-UQ and throwing velocity/accuracy. Results Significant differences between the throwing and non-throwing arm were only detected for the superolateral reach direction in the 14-year-old males. Small correlations between YBT-UQ performance and throwing velocity/accuracy (13-year-old females: − 0.01 ≤ r ≤ − 0.37 / 0.01 ≤ r ≤ 0.31; 14-year-old males: 0.10 ≤ r ≤ 0.45 / -0.01 ≤ r ≤ .-0.51; 15-year-old males: 0.06 ≤ r ≤ 0.34 / 0.01 ≤ r ≤ − 0.45) were observed, irrespective of age and sex category. Conclusions There was only a minimal difference in performance of the YBT-UQ between the throwing and non-throwing arm and only weak if any relationships between throwing performance and stability/mobility of the upper extremities in adolescent Olympic handball players existed. Further research is needed to investigate whether the YBT-UQ is a useful tool to detect training-related improvements in measures of shoulder stability/mobility and functional performance.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13102-020-00199-4Postural controlUpper quarter mobility/stabilityThrowing velocity/accuracyYoung athletes
spellingShingle Julian Bauer
Simon Schedler
Stephan Fischer
Thomas Muehlbauer
Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
Postural control
Upper quarter mobility/stability
Throwing velocity/accuracy
Young athletes
title Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
title_full Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
title_fullStr Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
title_short Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players
title_sort relationship between upper quarter y balance test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent olympic handball players
topic Postural control
Upper quarter mobility/stability
Throwing velocity/accuracy
Young athletes
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13102-020-00199-4
work_keys_str_mv AT julianbauer relationshipbetweenupperquarterybalancetestperformanceandthrowingproficiencyinadolescentolympichandballplayers
AT simonschedler relationshipbetweenupperquarterybalancetestperformanceandthrowingproficiencyinadolescentolympichandballplayers
AT stephanfischer relationshipbetweenupperquarterybalancetestperformanceandthrowingproficiencyinadolescentolympichandballplayers
AT thomasmuehlbauer relationshipbetweenupperquarterybalancetestperformanceandthrowingproficiencyinadolescentolympichandballplayers