Date of Award
1-1-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.E.S. in Exercise Science
First Advisor
Thomas L. Andre
Second Advisor
Jeremy P. Loenneke
Third Advisor
Paul D. Loprinzi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Introduction: Running is the most popular form of physical activity worldwide and it has a positive effect on the overall health. However, (competitive) running is also associated with stress injuries. Stress injuries can be caused by overtraining. Countermovement jumps (CMJ) have previously been used to monitor training load and neuromuscular fatigue in athletes of multiple sports. However, this has not been explored in distance runners yet. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess if countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in collegiate distance athletes has a relationship to neuromuscular fatigue.
Methods: In total 12 female and 15 male distance runners from the Ole Miss cross country team performed countermovement jump (CMJ) tests before and after a workout session. Before the jumps, the athletes did 10 body weight squats as a warm-up. The CMJs were performed on the VALD ForceDecks platform. Eccentric mean force (asymmetry), peak power output and jump height measurements were taken. The athletes filled out the Perceived Recovery Status (PRS) scale and the Rating-of-Fatigue (ROF) scale before they did the CMJ tests to determine perceived fatigue.
Results: Decreases were found in perceived recovery and increases were found in rate of fatigue post workout compared to pre-workout (p<0.05). However, significant increases were found in jump height, power, single leg jump height and single leg power post workout compared to pre-workout (p<0.05). Additionally, no significant strong correlations between perceived fatigue and CMJ performance were found.
Conclusion: The results indicate that CMJs were not a predictor for neuromuscular fatigue in cross country athletes. Further studies need to be conducted in which more data is collected. Jumps should be performed before the warm-up, after the warm-up and after the workout and after the cool-down.
Recommended Citation
van den Berg, Kristel Tessa, "Acute Countermovement Jump Performance in Collegiate Distance Runners" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2890.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2890