Neuromuscular Performance Changes Using the Countermovement Jump in Division III Female Basketball: Game vs. Practice

Proper assessment of daily training readiness in sport performance is imperative to maximize performance during games and competition. Fatigue between practices and games in NCAA DIII female basketball players has yet to be investigated which could provide valuable information in the differences in fatigue patterns thus leading to optimized program design. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study aimed to investigate pre-post changes in neuromuscular performance using the countermovement jump (CMJ) in Division III female basketball players and its associated differences from a practice and a game. METHODS: Eleven Division III female basketball players (n=11, 20±1.41 years; 171.52±7.48 cm; 73.53±12.04) participated in this cross-over study design. Participants arrived to the Human Performance Lab immediately before a scheduled team practice and completed a standardized dynamic warm-up and a 50% and 70% countermovement jump (CMJ) on force plates. At pre, post-practice, and 24-hours post-practice, participants were instructed to stand on uni-axial force plates (Model 1531, Software Version; Hawkin Dynamic, USA) and perform 3 maximal CMJ separated by approximately 15 seconds of rest. Participants completed the same protocol eight days later in a scheduled game setting. Participants also completed a perceived recovery status (PRS) scale during each time point along with the Adapted Hooper questionnaire at the commencement of each condition. Jump height (JH), peak propulsive power (PPP), peak propulsive force (PPF), peak propulsive impulse (PPI), and modified reactive strength index (mRSI) were assessed. The average of all three attempts were used for analysis. Data was analyzed using SPSS using RM-ANOVA between time and condition. Paired-sample t-test was used to assess Adapted Hooper differences. RESULTS: Significant main effect for time was observed for PRS (pCONCLUSION:Fatigue patterns remained very similar between a practice and a game with only JH showing a significant difference between time and condition. With the exception of the PRS scale, all metrics showed an increase post-condition demonstrating the opposite of a traditional stimulus-recovery adaptation curve. Considering jump testing was performed immediately post-condition, the observed increase in performance may be attributed to a potentiation effect and an increase activation of the sympathetic nervous system.