Physique and performance in male sitting volleyball players: implications for classification and training

The epidemiology of injuries in professional sitting volleyball athletes

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the epidemiology of injury among players at the Iran Sitting Volleyball Super League 2023-2024.

METHODS

A total of 56 athletes from 6 teams, representing 47% of all athletes in the Super League, took part in this study. Injury data were obtained retrospectively through one-by-one interview sessions and a questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 80 injuries were reported in 30 athletes at the Iran Sitting Volleyball (SV) Professional League. The injury proportion (IP) (%) of all athletes who sustained an injury during the League was 53.6%, with an overall incidence of 16.2 injuries per 1000 athlete days (95% CI 12.7 to 19.8). There was a significantly higher incidence of injury during the competition period (33.5 (95% CI 16.5 to 50.4)) compared with the pre-competition period (14.5 (95% CI 11.0 to 18.0); IR:2.31 (95% CI 1.3 to 4.0); p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between post and age groups concerning injury rate in the overall period. The injuries incurred are mostly re-injuries, and the anatomical areas of the fingers, wrist, and shoulder are at the most risk for injury.

CONCLUSION

This study provides important baseline data for medical staff and coaches, aiding in better preparation for long-term competitions and improving injury prevention programs for this sport.

DXA-Measured Total and Regional Body Composition in Female Athletes with a Physical Impairment

Background/Objectives: In recent years, awareness has been growing regarding the needs of female athletes with physical impairments. Despite the importance from both health and performance perspectives of assessing body composition in this athletic population, there is limited literature focusing on this topic. This study explored whole-body and regional three-compartment body composition in female athletes with a physical impairment to assess the impact of impairment and sex on body composition parameters in this population. Methods: Twenty female athletes with a physical impairment were pair-matched by age with an able-bodied female athlete and a male athlete with a comparable physical impairment. All athletes underwent whole-body scanning with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Female athletes with physical impairments showed body composition changes including higher amounts of fat mass, particularly in the lower body regions. Among athletes with a physical impairment, sex showed an independent effect on whole-body composition, with females showing higher fat mass and lower lean mass and bone mineral content compared with males, especially in the legs. Conclusions: Female athletes with physical impairments had a distinct body composition profile, characterized by sex-specific distribution of body tissue at the regional level. Nutritional and training strategies aimed at optimizing body composition in female athletes with physical impairments should be specifically tailored to meet the needs of this athletic population.

Serving to win: exploring serve-reception effectiveness in high-level male and female sitting volleyball players

Introduction

This study was planned to assess the association between serve efficacy and match outcome, and to investigate which factors are associated with serve efficacy in high-level male and female Sitting Volleyball players.

Methods

The study sample was comprised of a total of 3,664 serving actions, performed during the 2020 Paralympic Games and the 2022 Sitting Volleyball World Championship. For each serving action, we considered serve efficacy (i.e., Point lost, Negative Serve, Positive serve and Point won), serve zone, type of serve technique, target zone of the serve, type of reception, receiving player and match outcome (i.e., match won, or match lost).

Results

The Mixed-effects logistic regression model showed that serve efficacy is significantly associated with the match outcome, increasing serve efficacy being associated with increased chances of winning the game. The ratio between the probability of winning and losing the game started at 0.86 for a Point lost and increased to 1.67 for a Point won. Compared to Negative serves, Positive serves were associated with a higher probability that the opponent team would use a low reception rather than a high reception. In turn, a low reception was associated with a higher chance (from 45.1% to 58.3%) of the receiving team committing an error in the side-out phase.

Discussion

Based on these results, it is recommended that high-level coaches focus on improving their players' serve efficacy by instructing them on managing risk, avoiding serves to the front zone, and reducing the likelihood of overhead receptions.

Adaptive Sports and Recreation in Persons with Limb Loss/Limb Deficiency

Adaptive sports are a vital component in the continuum of rehabilitation for people with limb loss/limb deficiency (LL/LD), across the lifespan. Identifying the barriers and understanding health care disparities inform ways to help people with LL/LD stay active and reach their health and wellness goals. Building knowledge in adaptive sports helps facilitate having a person go beyond activities of daily living and basic locomotion. Considering the participant, requirements of the sport, and the activity-specific prosthesis/equipment required leads to successful participation in adaptive sports.

Design and implementation of load intensity monitoring platform supported by big data technology in stage training for women's sitting volleyball

This study aims to discuss the load intensity monitoring in the training process of sitting volleyball, to help coaches understand the training status of athletes, and to provide a scientific basis for the follow-up training plan. Through big data technology, the physiological changes of athletes can be more accurately grasped. This includes classification and summary of exercise load intensity and experimental study of the relationship between heart rate and rating perceived exertion (RPE). Through monitoring the training process of a provincial women's sitting volleyball team, it is found that there is a significant positive correlation between athletes' RPE and average heart rate. This result shows that by monitoring the change in heart rate and RPE of athletes, athletes' training state and physical condition can be more accurately understood. The results reveal that through the use of big data technology and monitoring experiments, it is found that heart rate and RPE are effective monitoring indicators, which can scientifically reflect the load intensity during sitting volleyball training. The conclusions provide coaches with a more scientific basis for making training plans and useful references for sports involving people with disabilities.

Predictors of Ball Velocity in the Sitting Volleyball Serve: A Causal Analysis

This study explored the performance of the Sitting Volleyball serve by investigating the causal factors associated with ball velocity. Thirty-seven athletes underwent anthropometry and strength assessment and performed ten successful maximal effort serves. Ball velocity was measured using a sports radar gun. The hip, shoulder, elbow and wrist angles at the instant of ball impact as well as the height of ball impact were estimated through two-dimensional motion analysis. The causal relationships between variables were described through a linear Structural Equation Model and a Directed Acyclic Graph. Results showed that a smaller hip angle determines a greater shoulder angle, which in turn causes a greater elbow angle. A more open elbow angle together with a greater vertical reach allowed for a greater height of ball impact. Finally, increased height of ball impact along with greater abdominal strength are beneficial for higher ball velocity. These results underlined that the Sitting Volleyball serve is a multifactorial stroke involving anthropometric, technical and strength factors and suggest that athletes should improve their abdominal strength and master the technique necessary to perform the serve with the shoulder and the elbow joints fully extended in order to produce the greatest possible impact on the ball.