A Simple Field Tapping Test for Evaluating Frequency Qualities of the Lower Limb Neuromuscular System in Soccer Players: A Validity and Reliability Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Experimental Approach to the Problem
2.1.1. Subjects
2.1.2. Procedures
- TAP test: The test was assessed with an Optojump Next (Microgate Next, Bolzano, Italy). It determines the frequency of foot tapping by calculating the time of flight/contact (one cycle) of the legs through infrared beams during 4 s (Figure 2, Supplementary Material: TAP test video). The acquisition bars were placed between the feet and connected to the Optojump Next software. The average frequency of each member was averaged on each successive right/left press to obtain the overall tapping frequency. To evaluate if TAP could cause any cardiovascular and metabolic stress, heart rate was measured twice: before and after the TAP test using (Polar V800, Finland). Blood lactate was also measured at rest before performing the TAP test and at the third minute following test using Lactate Pro Analyzer (Arkray, Tokyo, Japan).
- The finger tapping test: The FGTT procedure used in this study was the one described in the study of Austin et al. [13]. Three trials have been performed each for both the dominant and non-dominant hands and scores were measured with a smartphone application (HLTapper V.1.0), validated by Lee et al. [26]. This application is composed of two rectangles of 30 by 45 mm, separated by 15 mm. Smartphone timed tapping test subjects were asked to alternately tap each side of the rectangles using an index finger at their fastest speed for ten seconds without moving the rest of their hand or arm. The FGTT score is reported as the best number of taps recorded during the 6 trials (both dominant and non-dominant hand) then the tapping score was calculated as FGTT = Score/10 s.
- Sprint test: Sprint performance was evaluated at 5–20 and 30 m intervals through an electronic timing system (Brower timing system, CO, Draper, UT, USA). Players started in a standing start position 0.3 m just before the first photocells gate, placed at 0.75 m above the ground. The best time performance from 2 trials with a 3 min rest in-between was chosen for analysis.
- Agility test: The MICODT was used to evaluate the agility performance, where the protocol is the same as the Illinois CODS test with the only difference being in the total distance, inter-cones distance, and the number of the cones as described by Hachana et al. [27] and using an electronic timing system (Brower timing system, CO, Draper, UT, USA).
- Jump Tests: For SJ, players have started from a stationary semi-squatted position and performed a vertical jump at maximal effort. Then, players performed 2 types of CMJ, both where the jump starts in the standing position and the subject performs a downward countermovement (flexion of the lower limbs) immediately followed by a rapid full extension of the lower limbs. The difference between the 2 types of CMJ was that, in the first type, players should maintain their arms akimbo, but in the second type of CMJ, the players were asked to keep their arms in a neutral position (free hands). The jump height was recorded using an Optojump device (Microgate Next, Bolzano, Italy). The eccentric utilization ratio (EUR) has also been calculated, which is defined as the ratio of the CMJ (arms akimbo) to SJ performance [28].
- Anaerobic power: The Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) was performed on a cycle ergometer Monark (Monark 894E, Stockhom, Sweden). The test was preceded by a warm-up of 5 min in approximately 100 rpm, with two sprints of approximately 6 s every minute, followed by a 2 min rest interval before the start of the test. Each participant had to exert maximal effort for 30 s against a braking force that was determined by the product of body mass in kg by 0.075 [30]. Two indices of the WAnT were measured and evaluated: (a) the peak power (Ppeak) and (b) the mean power (Pmean), both expressed in Watts per kilogram of body mass.
2.2. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Parameters | N | Age (Years) | Height (cm) | Body Mass (kg) | BMI (kg/m2) | Body Fat % | ΔHR (bpm) | Δ[Lac] (mmol/L) | TAP (tap·s−1) | TAP Dz |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National level | 20 | 22.6 ± 2.5 | 172.9 ± 8.4 | 66.1 ± 8 | 22.05 ± 1.63 | 10.9 ± 1.2 | 36.2 ± 13.3 | 2.1 ± 1.8 | 9.68 ± 1.41 ** | 1.96 |
Regional level | 20 | 25.1 ± 3.6 | 174.3 ± 3.3 | 65.9 ± 4.9 | 21.69 ± 1.58 | 11.3 ± 1.4 | 32.8 ± 11.3 | 2.5 ± 1.4 | 7.28 ± 1.01 |
Parameters | Trial 1 | Trial 2 | p (t Test) | ICC (95% CI) | SEM (tap·s−1) | SEM (%) | SWC0.2 (tap·s−1) | SWC0.6 (tap·s−1) | MDC95% (tap·s−1) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TAP (tap·s−1) | 8.35 ± 1.74 | 8.33 ± 1.71 | 0.71 | 0.98 (0.97–0.99) | 0.28 | 3.52 | 0.34 | 1.03 | 0.8 |
Test | Trial 1 (Mean ± SD) | Trial 2 (Mean ± SD) | ICC | Best Performance (Mean ± SD) | R (95%CI) | p |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TAP (tap·s−1) | 8.35 ± 1.74 | 8.33 ± 1.71 | 0.98 | 8.48 ± 1.71 | - | - |
FGTT (tap·s−1) | 7.77 ± 1.19 | 7.81 ± 1.07 | 0.96 | 7.95 ± 1.1 | 0.84 (0.77 to 0.89) | <0.001 |
5 m sprint(s) | 1.21 ± 0.12 | 1.22 ± 0.11 | 0.85 | 1.19 ± 0.17 | −0.16 (−0.44 to 0.14) | 0.32 |
20 m sprint(s) | 3.26 ± 0.14 | 3.24 ± 0.15 | 0.86 | 3.21 ± 0.15 | −0.17 (−0.45 to −0.12) | 0.28 |
30 m sprint(s) | 4.33 ± 0.19 | 4.30 ± 0.19 | 0.91 | 4.28 ± 0.19 | −0.12 (−0.42 to 0.25) | 0.44 |
MICOD(s) | 10.66 ± 0.51 | 10.51 ± 0.45 | 0.93 | 10.48 ± 0.46 | −0.1 (−0.4 to 0.22) | 0.52 |
SJ (cm) | 37.08 ± 4.53 | 35.44 ± 4.71 | 0.97 | 37.16 ± 4.62 | 0.02 (−0.31 to 0.35) | 0.85 |
CMJ arms akimbo (cm) | 39.28 ± 5.35 | 39.19 ± 5.55 | 0.96 | 39.98 ± 5.45 | −0.04 (−0.32 to 0.19) | 0.78 |
CMJ free arms (cm) | 44.82 ± 6.2 | 45.16 ± 6.71 | 0.95 | 45.98 ± 6.67 | 0.09 (−0.17 to 0.35) | 0.58 |
SLJ (m) | 2.16 ± 0.21 | 2.17 ± 0.22 | 0.94 | 2.2 ± 0.21 | 0.05 (−0.33 to 0.42) | 0.75 |
VDJ (cm) | 33.91 ± 4.9 | 34.75 ± 5.57 | 0.95 | 35.31 ± 5.43 | 0.24 (0.03 to 0.43) | 0.12 |
RSI | 94.20 ± 26.29 | 97.07 ± 31.71 | 0.85 | 96.52 ± 32.2 | −0.12 (−0.35 to 0.1) | 0.45 |
Ppeak (watts) | 821.62 ± 144.6 | - | - | 821.62 ± 144.6 | −0.15 (−0.46 to 0.2) | 0.34 |
Pmean (watts) | 581.9 ± 99.4 | - | - | 581.9 ± 99.4 | −0.08 (−0.42 to 0.34) | 0.59 |
RPpeak (watts/kg) | 12.19 ± 1.41 | - | - | 12.19 ± 1.41 | −0.04 (−0.34 to 0.25) | 0.79 |
RPmean (watts/kg) | 8.62 ± 0.77 | - | - | 8.62 ± 0.77 | 0.08 (−0.24 to 0.39) | 0.62 |
EUR | 1.08 ± 0.08 | - | - | 1.08 ± 0.08 | −0.12 (−0.38 to 015) | 0.45 |
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Chaabouni, S.; Methnani, R.; Al Hadabi, B.; Al Busafi, M.; Al Kitani, M.; Al Jadidi, K.; Samozino, P.; Moalla, W.; Gmada, N. A Simple Field Tapping Test for Evaluating Frequency Qualities of the Lower Limb Neuromuscular System in Soccer Players: A Validity and Reliability Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 3792. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073792
Chaabouni S, Methnani R, Al Hadabi B, Al Busafi M, Al Kitani M, Al Jadidi K, Samozino P, Moalla W, Gmada N. A Simple Field Tapping Test for Evaluating Frequency Qualities of the Lower Limb Neuromuscular System in Soccer Players: A Validity and Reliability Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(7):3792. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073792
Chicago/Turabian StyleChaabouni, Safouen, Rihab Methnani, Badria Al Hadabi, Majid Al Busafi, Mahfoodha Al Kitani, Khalifa Al Jadidi, Pierre Samozino, Wassim Moalla, and Nabil Gmada. 2022. "A Simple Field Tapping Test for Evaluating Frequency Qualities of the Lower Limb Neuromuscular System in Soccer Players: A Validity and Reliability Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 7: 3792. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073792