Factors correlated with volleyball spike velocity.
BACKGROUND
Spike effectiveness represents a determining element in volleyball. To compete at a high level, the player must, in particular, produce a spike characterized by a high ball velocity.


OBJECTIVE
Some muscular and physical features could influence ball velocity during the volleyball spike.


METHODS
Descriptive laboratory study.


METHODS
A total of 19 male volleyball players from the 2 highest Belgian national divisions underwent an isokinetic assessment of the dominant shoulder and elbow. Ball velocity performance (radar gun) during a spike test, morphological feature, and jump capacity (ergo jump) of the player were measured. We tested the relationship between the isokinetic parameters or physical features and field performances represented by spike velocity. We also compared first-division and second-division player data.


RESULTS
Spike velocity correlated significantly with strength performance of the dominant shoulder (internal rotators) and of the dominant elbow (flexors and extensors) in the concentric mode. Negative correlations were established with the concentric external rotator on internal rotator ratio at 400 deg/s and with the mixed ratio (external rotator at 60 deg/s in the eccentric mode on internal rotator at 240 deg/s in the concentric mode). Positive correlations appeared with both the volleyball players' jump capacity and body mass index. First-division players differed from second-division players by higher ball velocity and increased jump capacity.


CONCLUSIONS
Some specific strength and physical characteristics correlated significantly with spike performance in high-level volleyball practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results could provide useful information for training management and propose some reflections on injury prevention.
Forthomme
Bénédicte
B
Service de Médecine Physique, Chu Sart Tilman-B35, B-4000 Liege, Belgium. jlcroisier@ulg.ac.be.
Croisier
Jean-Louis
JL
Ciccarone
Guido
G
Crielaard
Jean-Michel
JM
Cloes
Marc
M
D000328:Adult; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis