Does lateral banking and radius affect well-trained sprinters and team-sports players during bend sprinting?

Jonathan White, Cassie Wilson, Hans von Lieres Und Wilkau, Hannah Wyatt, Gillian Weir, Joseph Hamill, Gareth Irwin, Timothy A. Exell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study investigated the short-term responses of step characteristics in sprinters and team-sports players under different bend conditions. Eight participants from each group completed 80 m sprints in four conditions: banked and flat, in lanes two and four (L2B, L4B, L2F, L4F). Groups showed similar changes in step velocity (SV) across conditions and limbs. However, sprinters produced significantly shorter ground contact times (GCT) than team sports players in L2B and L4B for both left (0.123 s vs 0.145 s and 0.123 s vs 0.140 s) and right steps (0.115 s vs 0.136 s and 0.120 s vs 0.141 s) (p > 0.001–0.029; ES = 1.15–1.37). Across both groups, SV was generally lower in flat conditions compared to banked (Left: 7.21 m/s vs 6.82 m/s and Right: 7.31 m/s vs 7.09 m/s in lane two), occurring due to reduced step length (SL) rather than step frequency (SF), suggesting that banking improves SV via increased SL. Sprinters produced significantly shorter GCT in banked conditions that led to non-significant increases in SF and SV, highlighting the importance of bend sprinting specific conditioning and training environments representative of indoor competition for sprint athletes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)519-525
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Sports Sciences
Volume41
Issue number6
Early online date17 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2023

Funding

The authors would like to thank the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport for funding this project with the Developing Researcher Mobility Grant in 2019.

FundersFunder number
International Society of Biomechanics in Sport

    Keywords

    • Athletics
    • indoor competition
    • specificity
    • training

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
    • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

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