Clinical Research Directory

A Randomized Crossover Study on Diverse Training Methods to Enhance University Athletes' Performance and Health

The goal of this randomized crossover study is to investigate the effects of plyometric training, functional training, and whole-body electrical muscle stimulation (WB-EMS) on athletic performance and health in university basketball and volleyball players. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Which training modality (plyometric, functional, or WB-EMS) leads to the greatest improvements in athletic performance measures such as power, speed, and agility? 2. How do these training modalities compare in terms of their effects on overall health, injury risk reduction, and psychological well-being? Researchers will use a crossover design, where each participant experiences multiple training modalities in a sequential manner, to provide a more rigorous and comprehensive evaluation of the interventions' effectiveness. Participants will: 1. Be randomly assigned to one of four training sequences, each consisting of two 8-week intervention periods separated by a 4-week washout phase; 2. Experience at least two of the three training modalities (plyometric, functional, or WB-EMS) during the intervention periods; 3. Maintain their regular training routines if assigned to the control group; 4. Undergo assessments, including anthropometric measurements, physical fitness tests, and questionnaires, at baseline, after each intervention period, and during a follow-up session. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights into the optimal sequencing and combination of training modalities to maximize athletic performance and promote health among university basketball and volleyball players.

Effects of Ballistic Six Exercises With and Without Blood Flow Restriction in Cricket Players

Cricket is not only a widely played team sport, but it also involves intricate skills that are honed over time, especially in bowling. One of the key concerns for bowlers is the risk of developing shoulder injuries due to imbalances between the agonist and antagonist muscle groups. To address this, the Ballistic Six program focuses on functional exercises that replicate the movements and forces involved in the overhead throwing motion, helping to enhance strength, power, proprioception, kinesthesia, and endurance in the rotator cuff muscles. By incorporating plyometric training in a ballistic, high-velocity manner, the program aims to take advantage of the stretch reflex and reduce the amortization phase of the stretch shortening cycle. Additionally, blood flow restriction (BFR) training has shown promising results in promoting muscle growth and strength. By applying a tourniquet to the arm during intra-set rests, BFR induces muscle hypoxia while restricting venous return, leading to increased lean mass, isometric strength, and muscular endurance in the shoulder and arm. These training methods can contribute to the overall performance and injury prevention of medium pace cricket bowlers.

Combined Effects of Plyometric and Endurance Training Among Female Hockey Players

Athletes need plyometric training as well as endurance training to enhance their speed, strength and agility in the field. Plyometric exercise involves stretching the muscle immediately before making a rapid concentric contraction. The combined action is commonly called a stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). Similar gains of maximal strength have been reported with traditional strength and plyometric training, but the latter approach appears to induce greater gains in muscle power. The combination of balance and muscle strength/power exercises seems to be an appropriate possibility, since both modalities induced adaptation on the neuromuscular level. A blocked combination of balance and muscle strength exercises effectively improve physical performance, and improvements in performance are more pronounced if balance exercises are followed by strength exercises than vice versa.