Article
The purpose of the research was to evaluate the biomechanical parameters of the ankle and knee joints of professional volleyball athletes to assess the functional characteristics of these joints during lunges.
Materials and research methods. The objects of the study were professional volleyball athletes aged 15-18 years (n=8). The control group (n=8) consisted of 18-23-year-old laboratory staff who did not engage in regular physical activity. The Vicon system (5 Vero infrared cameras, passive reflective markers, Nexus v2.9 software) was used for video analysis of movements. The volume of movement in the ankle joint (dorsiflexion and inversion), the angle of flexion in the knee joint of the supporting leg, as well as the pressure distribution over the foot zones when performing lunges forward and sideways were evaluated. Statistical data processing was performed in the Python v3.12.2 environment using the NumPy, pandas, SciPy, statsmodels, Matplotlib, and seaborn libraries. The groups were compared using an independent t-test (with Welch correction, if necessary) or the Mann-Whitney U-test, depending on the distribution of data; the significance level was determined after correction of the FDR using the Benjamini–Hochberg method (q<0.05).
Research results. When performing forward lunges, the volume of movement in the ankle joint by inversion was statistically significantly higher in volleyball players than in the control group: 79.5° (IQR: 78.75; 80.75) versus 67.5° (IQR: 59.75; 70.5) (q<0.001). When falling to the side, the differences were even more pronounced: dorsiflexion - 63.5° (IQR: 60.5; 66.25) versus 20.0° (IQR: 18.75; 21.25) (q≤0.0001); inversion - 28.0° (IQR: 24.75; 31.75) versus 14.0° (IQR: 13.0; 15.25) (q Less than 0.0001). The angle of flexion in the knee joint of the volleyball players was also significantly higher: when lunging forward, it was 56.0° (IQR: 54.0; 59.0) versus 80.0° (IQR: 76.75; 81.5) (q≤0.0001); when falling to the side - 57.5° (IQR: 54.75; 63.25) versus 73.0° (IQR: 68.75; 78.25) (q≤0.0001). At maximum flexion, the athletes pressure shifted to the forefoot (T1-T3 and M1 zones), whereas in the control group, the load on the middle and back of the foot prevailed (q<0.05).
Conclusion. Professional volleyball players showed statistically significantly greater mobility of the ankle and knee joints when performing lunges forward and sideways compared with people who do not engage in systematic physical activity. Athletes demonstrate more pronounced flexion of the knee joint and optimal redistribution of pressure to the forefoot. The data obtained indicate adaptive biomechanical changes that are formed under the influence of specific training loads in volleyball, and can be used to develop programs for preventing lower limb injuries and improving the effectiveness of technical training.
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