Relationships Among Balance, Visual Search, and Lacrosse-Shot Accuracy

• Autores: Darrin W. Marsh, Leon A. Richard, Arlene Verre, Jay Myers
• Localización: Journal of strength and conditioning research: the research journal of the NSCA, ISSN 1064-8011, Vol. 24, Nº. 6, 2010, págs. 1507-1514
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The purpose of this study was to examine variables that may contribute to shot accuracy in women's college lacrosse. A convenience sample of 15 healthy women's National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III College lacrosse players aged 18-23 (mean ± SD, 20.27 ± 1.67) participated in the study. Four experimental variables were examined: balance, visual search, hand grip strength, and shoulder joint position sense. Balance was measured by the Biodex Stability System (BSS), and visual search was measured by the Trail-Making Test Part A (TMTA) and Trail-Making Test Part B (TMTB). Hand-grip strength was measured by a standard hand dynamometer, and shoulder joint position sense was measured using a modified inclinometer. All measures were taken in an indoor setting. These experimental variables were then compared with lacrosse-shot error that was measured indoors using a high-speed video camera recorder and a specialized L-shaped apparatus. A Stalker radar gun measured lacrosse-shot velocity. The mean lacrosse-shot error was 15.17 cm with a mean lacrosse-shot velocity of 17.14 m·s-1 (38.35 mph). Lower scores on the BSS level 8 eyes open (BSS L8 E/O) test and TMTB were positively related to less lacrosse-shot error (r = 0.760, p = 0.011) and (r = 0.519, p = 0.048), respectively. Relations were not significant between lacrosse-shot error and grip strength (r = 0.191, p = 0.496), lacrosse-shot error and BSS level 8 eyes closed (BSS L8 E/C) (r = 0.501, p = 0.102), lacrosse-shot error and BSS level 4 eyes open (BSS L4 E/O) (r = 0.313, p = 0.378), lacrosse-shot error and BSS level 4 eyes closed (BSS L4 E/C) (r = -0.029, p = 0.936) lacrosse-shot error and shoulder joint position sense (r = -0.509, p = 0.055) and between lacrosse-shot error and TMTA (r = 0.375, p = 0.168). The results reveal that greater levels of shot accuracy may be related to greater levels of visual search and balance ability in women college lacrosse athletes.