Effect of COVID-19 Infection on the Performance of Adolescent Professional Overhead Athletes

Atılım University47 enrolled

Overview

COVID-19 is known to also cause damage outside the pulmonary system, particularly the cardiovascular and the musculoskeletal system. The studies on the effects of COVID-19 infection on different populations may provide valuable information for health professionals. Derangements in the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems which normally direct effect on the sports performance of athlete together with physical inactivity during COVID-19 infection are the main factors that may decrease the performance of the professional athletes. Although it may be well anticipated that COVID-19 will reduce sports performance; there are scarce studies in the literature. The aim of this study is to compare the sports performance of adolescent athletes that has COVID-19 infection with those did not.

Extensor muscle endurance, flexor muscle endurance and the lateral core muscle endurance were evaluated. All tests were performed by a chronometer and test was terminated as the position was lost and the time passed was recorded. Hand grip strength was measured by Jamar hand dynamometer. Health ball throwing test was used to evaluate upper extremity open kinetic chain and explosive power. Pro-agility test was used to evaluate the agility. Step test was performed for 3 minutes with a 30 cm high step board.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

COVID-19 Sport Performance, Professional Overhead Athletes

Interventions

Core muscle endurance was evaluated with extensor muscle endurance test, flexor muscle endurance test and lateral muscle endurance test. Hand Grip Strength was evaluated with Jamar hand dynamometer. Upper extremity functional performance was evaluated with health ball throwing test. Reaction time was evaluated with Fitlight Trainer. Agility performance was evaluated with Pro-agility test. Cardiovascular endurance was evaluated with the 3-minute step test.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 12 YearsMax age: 20 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis and American football players * Between 12 to 20 * Performing sports-specific training more than two times a week at least for 1 year Exclusion Criteria: * Vertebral, upper or lower extremity injury within the last 6 weeks or had undergone a surgery

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Core Muscle Endurance

Four different tests were used to evaluate core stabilization. Sorensen test was performed for extensor muscle endurance. For the Sorensen test, young athletes were laid supine in a fixed bed of 76 cm height and 61 cm width; and asked to extend their body over the pelvis and keep the position as long as they could. Core flexor muscle endurance was measured in the position of body flexion of 60°, and knee and hip flexion of 90° and athletes were asked to keep the position as long as possible. To evaluate the general core muscle power, young athletes were asked to lie prone and lift their body on forearm and toes and keep the position as long as possible. For the lateral core muscle endurance athletes were asked to get into left and right decubitus position respectively and lift their body on forearm and toes and keep the position as long as possible. All tests were performed by a chronometer and test was terminated as the position was lost and the time passed was recorded