Effects of Upper Extremity Flywheel Exercises on Skills, Muscle Oxygenation, and Fatigue in Adolescent Basketball

Official title

The Effects of Upper Extremity Flywheel Exercises on Athletic Skills, Muscle Oxygenation and Physical Fatigue in Adolescent Basketball Players

Overview

This study will investigate the effects of flywheel exercises targeting the upper extremities on athletic performance, muscle oxygenation, physical fatigue, and muscle strength in adolescent basketball players. A total of 36 healthy male adolescent basketball players aged 10-18 years will be included in the study and divided into two groups using stratified randomization: a flywheel exercise group (n=18) and a traditional strength training group (n=18). Athletic skills will be assessed using the Johnson Basketball Skill Tests (passing test, dribbling test, shooting test), the Basketball Shooting Accuracy Test, and the Functional Shooting Performance Index (FAPI). Upper extremity muscle oxygenation will be measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a Moxy muscle oxygen meter. Physical fatigue level will be determined using the Modified Borg Scale. Upper extremity muscle strength will be assessed using a Kinvent hand dynamometer and the Seated Single Arm Ball Throw Test. The flywheel group will undergo eccentric weight flywheel exercises three times a week for eight weeks. The traditional strength training group will follow a strength training program using dumbbells for the same duration and frequency. All assessments will be conducted before and after the training program.

Detailed description

Adolescence is a critical period in which athletic performance and musculoskeletal adaptations develop rapidly. In sports that actively utilize the upper extremities, such as basketball, strength, coordination, and fatigue tolerance directly affect performance. In recent years, flywheel exercise systems, which allow for eccentric loading, have emerged as an effective training method for improving muscle strength and neuromuscular adaptations. However, scientific evidence regarding the effects of these systems on adolescent athletes is limited. This study was planned to investigate the effects of flywheel exercises targeting the upper extremities on athletic performance, muscle oxygenation, and physical fatigue in adolescent basketball players. The study will be conducted using a randomized controlled design, with participants divided into two groups: a flywheel exercise group and a traditional strength training group. Both groups will receive a structured upper extremity strength training program of equal duration and frequency. Throughout the study, all participants will continue their routine basketball training; only the strength training method applied will differ between the groups. Assessments will be conducted before and after the training program, and intra-group and between-group changes will be analyzed. The findings are expected to provide important information about the applicability of flywheel exercises in adolescent athletes and their potential effects on performance.

Interventions

• Other Flywheel Exercises
  Participants perform 8 weeks of upper extremity eccentric resistance exercises using the flywheel device, 3 sessions per week, with progressive load increase over time.
• Other Traditional Resistance Training
  Participants perform 8 weeks of upper extremity resistance exercises using dumbbells, 3 sessions per week, with individualized progressive load based on 1 repetition maximum (1RM).

Primary outcome measures

• Basketball-Specific Skill Performance [Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training]
• Muscle Oxygenation [Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training]
• Physical Fatigue [Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training]

Secondary outcome measures (2)

• Upper Extremity Isometric Muscle Strength [Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training]
• Upper Extremity Explosive Strength [Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of training]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteer male basketball players aged 10-18 who have played basketball for at least one year,
• Who have regularly attended training sessions for the past 6 months,
• Who do not have an injury that would restrict their participation in training will be included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Those who have undergone upper extremity surgery within the last year
• Those with neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases (e.g., epilepsy, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, etc.)
• Those who have sustained any upper extremity musculoskeletal injury within the last year

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Other

Study locations

Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center

• Iğdır Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate - Kazım Karabekir Sports Hall — Iğdır

Publications

• Younes-Egana O, Mielgo-Ayuso J, M Stojanovic MD, Bird SP, Calleja-Gonzalez J. Effectiveness of Eccentric Overload Training in Basketball Players: A Systematic Review. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Jul 15;87:243-257. doi: 10.5114/jhk/167469. eCollection 2023 Jul. PMID 37559764

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07331012 · IstinyeU-EC-25-117

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗