Skill Position Football Players Have Greater Vertical Jump Kinetic Asymmetry But Better Performance Than Big Skill and Big Position Players
Abstract
The vertical jump (VJ) assesses lower limb power and is tested in players entering the National Football League’s (NFL) draft. Limb asymmetry of ≥10% has been linked to injury and poor performance. Assessing VJ performance and kinetic asymmetry by player position may guide group-based training programs. We sought to determine if VJ performance and kinetic asymmetries were different between football position groups, Skill Players (SP), Big Skill Players (BS), and Big Players (BP). Sixty participants (age, 22.7 1.1yrs;± ht, 186.4±6.8cm; mass, 103.6±21.2kg) training for the NFL draft performed VJ on dual uniaxial force plates. Performance variables of reactive strength (RSI-mod) and jump height (JH), and right-left asymmetries (%) for concentric impulse (CON-IMP), eccentric braking impulse (ECC-IMP), eccentric peak force (ECC-FORCE), and take-off force (TO-FORCE) were compared using ANOVA, p<.05 and Tukey HSD, as necessary. RSI-mod was different between groups, F(2,59)=12.69, p<.001 with BP (0.5±0.09m/s) having lower reactive strength than SP (0.7±0.1m/s) and BSP (0.6±0.1m/s). SP was not different than BSP, p>.05. JH was different between groups, F(2,59)=4.52, p=0.15 with SP (55.5&lplusmn;7.8cm) jumping higher than BP (46.5±10.9cm). BSP (53.1±8.0cm) was not different from BP, p>.05. ECC-IMP asymmetry was different between groups, F(2,59)=4.74, p=0.12 with SP (15.9±11.1%) having greater asymmetry than BSP (8.9±6.5%). BP (8.4±5.7%) was not different from SP or BSP, p>.05. While SP had larger asymmetries in CON-IMP, ECC-FORCE and TOFORCE, they were not significantly different than BSP or BP, p>.05. Results indicate SP perform well on VJ despite kinetic asymmetries. However, this group may be at greater injury risk.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Monique Mokha
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-6-2022 12:00 PM
End Date
4-7-2022 5:00 PM
Skill Position Football Players Have Greater Vertical Jump Kinetic Asymmetry But Better Performance Than Big Skill and Big Position Players
Alvin Sherman Library
The vertical jump (VJ) assesses lower limb power and is tested in players entering the National Football League’s (NFL) draft. Limb asymmetry of ≥10% has been linked to injury and poor performance. Assessing VJ performance and kinetic asymmetry by player position may guide group-based training programs. We sought to determine if VJ performance and kinetic asymmetries were different between football position groups, Skill Players (SP), Big Skill Players (BS), and Big Players (BP). Sixty participants (age, 22.7 1.1yrs;± ht, 186.4±6.8cm; mass, 103.6±21.2kg) training for the NFL draft performed VJ on dual uniaxial force plates. Performance variables of reactive strength (RSI-mod) and jump height (JH), and right-left asymmetries (%) for concentric impulse (CON-IMP), eccentric braking impulse (ECC-IMP), eccentric peak force (ECC-FORCE), and take-off force (TO-FORCE) were compared using ANOVA, p<.05 and Tukey HSD, as necessary. RSI-mod was different between groups, F(2,59)=12.69, p<.001 with BP (0.5±0.09m/s) having lower reactive strength than SP (0.7±0.1m/s) and BSP (0.6±0.1m/s). SP was not different than BSP, p>.05. JH was different between groups, F(2,59)=4.52, p=0.15 with SP (55.5&lplusmn;7.8cm) jumping higher than BP (46.5±10.9cm). BSP (53.1±8.0cm) was not different from BP, p>.05. ECC-IMP asymmetry was different between groups, F(2,59)=4.74, p=0.12 with SP (15.9±11.1%) having greater asymmetry than BSP (8.9±6.5%). BP (8.4±5.7%) was not different from SP or BSP, p>.05. While SP had larger asymmetries in CON-IMP, ECC-FORCE and TOFORCE, they were not significantly different than BSP or BP, p>.05. Results indicate SP perform well on VJ despite kinetic asymmetries. However, this group may be at greater injury risk.
