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THE EFFECTS OF PLYOMETRIC TRAINING ON MUSCLE ACTIVATION CHARACTERISTICS IN POST- PUBESCENT ADOLESCENT FEMALES

Abstract

J. Savage1, J. Seegmiller1, C. McGowan1, R. Baker1, J. McNeal2, J. May1

1University of Idaho, Moscow, ID; 2Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA

Previous research has demonstrated that females are at an increased risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. One modifiable risk factor proposed is neuromuscular control. Coactivation of the quadriceps and hamstrings is suggested to be a favorable movement strategy, thereby, reducing the risk of ACL injury. PURPOSE: To determine how a 6-week plyometric training intervention may influence muscle activation onset, duration, and time to peak activation in the right (R) and left (L) vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (SEM), during a jump-landing task in post-pubescent adolescent females. METHODS: Electromyography was used to record onset, duration, and time to peak muscle activation of the right and left limbs during a jump-landing task, prior to and following a 6-week plyometric training intervention in 19 post-pubescent adolescent females. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to identify if significant differences in activation characteristics. RESULTS: Following a six-week plyometric training intervention, participants demonstrated decreased time to peak activation. Time to peak activation was approximately 0.55 ms earlier in the RSEM than in the RVL (2.67±.691, p = .017), 0.39 ms earlier in the RBF than in the RVM (2.81±.770, p = .049), .053 ms earlier in the RSEM than in the RVM (2.67±.691, p = .029), 0.85 ms earlier in the LBF than in the LVL (2.69±.942, p = .006), 0.89 ms earlier in the LSEM than in the LVL (2.40+1.08, p = .019), and 1.03 ms earlier in the LBF than in the LVM (2.69±.942, p = .006). CONCLUSION: Following plyometric training, participants exhibited a shortened time to peak activation of the hamstrings, an antagonist, generally responsible for terminal deceleration. The noticeable reduction in time to peak activation as seen in the hamstrings following plyometric training, is indicative of a modified recruitment pattern and likely a result of the prescribed neuromuscular training.

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