Women sport injuries: a retrospective study of elite windsurfers

This study was designed to identify the injuries of professional women windsurfers, from their anatomical location, type of sport, context when they occurred, type of injury, the time of inactivity as a result of the same, the type of health care received and the relationship between the number of injuries and the position in the final classification of professional windsurfing competitions. We gave a retrospective questionnaire to 18 women elite windsurfers, who took part in the World Cup competition held in Fuerteventura (2008). Women are injured more frequently during training than competition (77.8%; p<0.05 vs. 20.5%). Women suffer leg injuries more than men (83.3%; p<0.05 vs. 14.3%) in freestyle. Serious injuries were more frequent for women (66.7%; p<0.05 vs. 28.2%) and the time of inactivity due to the injury was shorter for women (50%; p<0.05 vs. 20.5%). These results indicate that female windsurfers are more liable to suffer injuries, generally serious, during training sessions. Freestyle involves a greater risk of leg injuries for women. The knee is the area where most injuries occur, both for men and women, followed by the legs.

Maximal oxygen consumption in national elite triathletes that train in high altitude

Triathlon is considered an endurance sport composed by the individual disciplines of swimming, cycling and running which are generally completed in this sequential order. It has been suggested that triathlon performance can be predicted by maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). However, it has also been suggested that some variables such age, gender, fitness, training and ventilator muscles may affect VO2max. It is the aim of this research to measure and analyze the VO2max of 6 national elite triathletes and one national juvenile triathlete, with long experience, training in a high altitude city (1650m). We compare VO2max for female and male groups. We found differences at the VO2max values for these groups. Additionally, we also found high values of VO2max for these young elite triathletes despite their relative short age, but long sport age.

The anthropometric profile of elite roller figure skaters

Although the anthropometric profiles of Olympic athletes, as a group, are well known, there is still a need for specific reference data for each sport given that each discipline has its own characteristics. This study has been designed considering the limited number of articles that focus on the anthropometric characteristics of artistic roller skating and, more specifically, the figures discipline. The aim of this study is twofold: firstly, to define the anthropometric profile, body composition and somatotype of male and female artistic roller figure skaters in order to establish specific profiles; and, secondly, to establish the differences between the anthropometric profiles, body compositions and somatotypes of male and female skaters. Twenty-nine professional roller skaters (male = 15, female = 14) underwent measurements of standard anthropometry (height, body mass, arm span, 8 skinfolds, 3 breadths and 11 girths). The somatotype was measured using the Heath-Carter methods. A T-Student test for independent samples was conducted in order to assess the differences between male and female skaters. Significant statistical differences were found between male and female skaters in terms of body mass, height, arm span, the sum of four and six skinfolds and all skinfold measurements. Male skaters have a BMI of 21.4± 1.6 and female skaters have a BMI of 21.5 ± 2.4. The results indicate that arm span is an important characteristic for skaters. Mesomorphy is the most important component, followed by endomorphy, for male and female skaters. Male skaters have an endomesomorphic somatotype (3.5-4.5-2.5) and female skaters have a balanced mesomorphic somatotype (3.3-4.1-2.9).

Antropometría, Composición Corporal y Somatotipo de las Patinadoras de Elite en Patinaje Artístico sobre Ruedas: Análisis por Disciplinas

El objetivo de este estudio fue describir y comparar las características antropométricas, composición corporal y somatotipo de patinadoras de patinaje artístico sobre ruedas por categorías (junior y senior) y por disciplinas (individual, parejas y danza). Fueron evaluadas 62 patinadoras profesionales (36 en la disciplina de libre, 13 en danza y 13 en parejas). El análisis estadístico utilizado fue una ANOVA para muestras independientes entre disciplinas, y una T de Student para las categorías (junior y senior). Entre la categoría junior y senior no se han encontrado diferencias estadísticas significativas. Las patinadoras junior presentaron un somatotipo endo-mesomorfo, y las patinadoras senior presentaron un somatotipo mesomorfo balanceado. El somatotipo de las patinadoras de parejas y danza fue el mesomórfico balanceado, y el de las patinadoras de libre fue endo-mesomórfico. Este estudio aporta datos biotipológicos de referencia para la población de elite de patinadoras sobre ruedas.

The Developmental Experiences of Adolescent Females in Structured Basketball Programs

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adolescent females had unique developmental experiences in different types of basketball programs. The Youth Experiences Survey 2.0 [YES] (Hansen & Larson, 2005) was used to measure the learning experiences of 14 and 15 year old females (n = 212) who were enrolled in a school, recreational, or competitive basketball program. Interviews with organization representatives were conducted to determine the structure of each basketball program (n= 16) from which participants were drawn. One-way ANOVAs and Bonferroni comparisons were used to compare YES 2.0 positive experience scale scores of participants in school, recreational and competitive basketball programs. Results revealed that females in recreational programs had significantly lower scores than those in competitive and school programs on numerous positive experiences scales. Mann-Whitney U tests found that those in school and competitive programs reported higher stress levels. Interview results indicate that four characteristics of competitive and school programs may contribute to participants in these programs reporting more growth experiences: 1) time commitment, 2) coaches’ training and background, 3) competition, and 4) volunteer opportunities.