Factors Affecting Sprint Performance in Junior Athletes
Author Information
Author(s): Kyosuke Oku, Yoshihiro Kai, Hitoshi Koda, Megumi Gonno, Maki Tanaka, Tomoyuki Matsui, Yuya Watanabe, Toru Morihara, Noriyuki Kida
Primary Institution: Kyoto Institute of Technology
Hypothesis
Key factors influencing sprint performance vary across different intervals of a short sprint.
Conclusion
Higher hip flexibility leads to faster times in the 0–2.5 m interval, trunk flexibility in the 2.5–5 m interval, and better standing long jump performance in the 5–10 m interval.
Supporting Evidence
- Faster sprint times were associated with higher hip flexibility in the 0–2.5 m interval.
- Trunk flexibility was linked to faster times in the 2.5–5 m interval.
- Better standing long jump performance correlated with faster times in the 5–10 m interval.
- Body fat mass negatively impacted sprint times across all intervals.
- Age was negatively correlated with sprint times, indicating faster times with increasing age.
Takeaway
This study found that being flexible helps kids run faster in short sprints, especially in the first few meters.
Methodology
The study used a cross-sectional design to evaluate sprint performance over three intervals in junior athletes, measuring body composition, flexibility, muscle strength, and physical fitness.
Potential Biases
Participants were not elite sprinters, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and did not measure step length directly.
Participant Demographics
26 junior athletes (13 boys and 13 girls) with an average age of 11.37 years, participating in various sports.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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