Evaluation of biomechanical indices in elite fencing athletes in the criteria of ankle injury after fleche landing

Abstract

The present study aims to compare the evaluation of biomechanical indices in elite and non-elite fencing athletes in the criteria of ankle injury when landing after performing the fleche technique. In this study, 25 fencing athletes with the age range of 17.25 +/- 3.1 years, the weight range of 60.54 +/- 11.3 kg, and the height range of 175.4 +/- 9.5 cm were randomly selected. Muscular strength measurement is done using bodybuilding devices through isotonic method and one-repetition maximum formula. A standard questionnaire is used to identify and record potential injury rate, and independent t test and Spearman correlation test are used to analyze the data. Also, Excel 2012 and SPSS 19 software are used. Flexibility, static balance, agility, anteromedial, medial, posteromedial, posterior, and posterolateral directions of star excursion balance test were used as the main indices of elite fencing athletes and muscular endurance, dynamic balance, medial, posterolateral, and posterior directions of star excursion balance test were the main biomechanical indices of non-elite fencing athletes. In the comparison of the main indices, there was a significant difference between muscular endurance, agility, static balance, and dynamic balance. The results of data analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between the imbalance of agonist muscle strength in ankle, knee and thigh joints and prevalence of ankle muscle injuries (P < .05). There is also a significant relationship between the harmony of the antagonist muscles' strength (per joint) and prevalence of ankle muscle injury (P < .05). In total, according to the results, it can be concluded that imbalance of muscular strength in agonist and antagonist muscles in ankle, knee and hip joints is one of the important predictive risk factors in the incidence of muscle injury in young athletes. Experts should pay due attention to balancing muscular power before the tournaments so as to prevent muscle injury in the above-mentioned muscles. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by IASE.