ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2017 November;57(11):1415-23

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07020-7

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Relationship between ice hockey-specific complex test and maximal strength, aerobic capacity and postural regulation in professional players

René SCHWESIG ¹, Souhail HERMASSI ² ✉, Sebastian EDELMANN ¹, Ulrike THORHAUER ¹, Stephan SCHULZE ¹, Georg FIESELER ³, Karl-Stefan DELANK ¹, Roy J. SHEPHARD ⁴, Mohamed-Souhaiel CHELLY ²

¹ Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany; ² Unit of Research (UR17JS01) “Sport Performance, Health and Society”, Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Ksar Saîd, University of “La Manouba”, Tunis, Tunisia; ³ Division for Shoulder Surgery and Sports Medicine, Helios Clinic Warburg, Warburg, Germany; ⁴ Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the validity of an ice hockey-specific complex test (IHCT) and nonspecific off-ice tests for sports performance.
METHODS: Eighteen professional athletes (27.4±6.0 years) underwent the IHCT, maximal strength squat tests, an endurance cycling test (PWC 170) and posturography during in the first week of the pre-seasonal training. The IHCT included parameters of load (e.g., 10-m and 30-m sprint, transition and weave agility without and with puck, slap and wrist shots before and after the test). The players were closely accompanied during the season of competition (seven months) in order to collect match performance data. Based on these data, we calculated a match performance score (MPS) for each player.
RESULTS: Stability indicator (r2=0.39), weave agility with puck (r2=0.39), maximal relative squat (r2=0.37) and frequency band F7-8 (r2=0.35) proved to be the most valid tests. However, with the MPS as dependent variable, 21 of 44 parameters tested (48%) explained 10% or more of variance.
CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggest that postural stability, cerebellar control mechanisms and concentric maximum leg strength are the most important predictors of MPS. Regarding IHCT, actions with the puck under fatigue conditions and the ability to recover quickly are highly relevant for ice hockey players.

KEY WORDS: Hockey - Muscle Strength - Sports Performance - Posture - Work Capacity Evaluation