Pelvic list strength could be important for speed,jump and agility in basketball

Abstract

There has been no study investigating the relationship between sprint, jump and change-of-direction performances and pelvic list strength (the ability to produce force through maximal contralateral pelvic elevation while standing on a single leg), which is mainly generated by the gluteus medius and lumbosacral lateral flexor muscles, in basketball players. This study aimed to demonstrate the importance of pelvic list strength for speed, jump and agility in basketball. Seventeen female basketball players performed 20-m sprint, pelvic list strength test, Pro-agility test, Lane-agility test, counter movement jump, running jump and standing long jump in a randomized order in an indoor basketball gym. The maximal vertical ground reaction force exerted by maximal pelvic list was measured using a force plate as the pelvic list strength test value. The pelvic list strength values for the right and left sides were 4.51 ± 0.53 N/kg and 4.54 ± 0.82 N/kg, respectively, in the free condition and 4.56 ± 0.92 N/kg and 4.67 ± 0.98 N/kg, respectively, in the 2 kg ankle weighted condition. Significant correlations were found between the left pelvic list strength in the free condition and running jump height (r = 0.526) and between the weighted right pelvic list strength and 20-m sprint time (r = −0.618). Moreover, the weighted right and left pelvic list strengths were significantly correlated with Lane-agility time (r = −0.644 and −0.598). The current results demonstrate that the pelvic list strength may be important for 20-m sprint speed, running jump height and Lane-agility performances.