Browsing by Author "Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M"

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    Open Access
    A systematic review investigating measurement properties of physiological tests in rugby
    (BioMed Central, 2017-12-28) Chiwaridzo, Matthew; Oorschot, Sander; Dambi, Jermaine M; Ferguson, Gillian D; Bonney, Emmanuel; Mudawarima, Tapfuma; Tadyanemhandu, Cathrine; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M
    Background: This systematic review was conducted with the first objective aimed at providing an overview of the physiological characteristics commonly evaluated in rugby and the corresponding tests used to measure each construct. Secondly, the measurement properties of all identified tests per physiological construct were evaluated with the ultimate purpose of identifying tests with strongest level of evidence per construct. Methods: The review was conducted in two stages. In all stages, electronic databases of EBSCOhost, Medline and Scopus were searched for full-text articles. Stage 1 included studies examining physiological characteristics in rugby. Stage 2 included studies evaluating measurement properties of all tests identified in Stage 1 either in rugby or related sports such as Australian Rules football and Soccer. Two independent reviewers screened relevant articles from titles and abstracts for both stages. Results: Seventy studies met the inclusion criteria for Stage 1. The studies described 63 tests assessing speed (8), agility/change of direction speed (7), upper-body muscular endurance (8), upper-body muscular power (6), upperbody muscular strength (5), anaerobic endurance (4), maximal aerobic power (4), lower-body muscular power (3), prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability/endurance (5), lower-body muscular strength (5), repeated high-intensity exercise performance (3), repeated-sprint ability (2), repeated-effort ability (1), maximal aerobic speed (1) and abdominal endurance (1). Stage 2 identified 20 studies describing measurement properties of 21 different tests. Only moderate evidence was found for the reliability of the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness. There was limited evidence found for the reliability and/or validity of 5 m, 10 m, 20 m speed tests, 505 test, modified 505 test, L run test, Sergeant Jump test and bench press repetitions-to-fatigue tests. There was no information from high-quality studies on the measurement properties of all the other tests identified in stage 1. Conclusion: A number of physiological characteristics are evaluated in rugby. Each physiological construct has multiple tests for measurement. However, there is paucity of information on measurement properties from high-quality studies for the tests. This raises questions about the usefulness and applicability of these tests in rugby and creates a need for high-quality future studies evaluating measurement properties of these physiological tests. Trial registrations: PROSPERO CRD 42015029747.
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    Anthropometric, physiological characteristics and rugby-specific game skills of schoolboy players of different age categories and playing standards
    (2020-02-10) Chiwaridzo, Matthew; Ferguson, Gillian D; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M
    Abstract Background Rugby is increasingly gaining popularity among school-aged male junior players in countries hardly known for dominating international rugby, such as Zimbabwe. Given rugby combativeness, participating adolescents should possess qualities or skills commensurate with the physical demands of the sport for effective participation. This study investigated the independent and interactive effects of age category and playing standard on anthropometric, physiological characteristics and rugby-specific game skills among Zimbabwean athletes. Methods Two hundred and eight elite, sub-elite and non-rugby players competing at Under 16 and Under 19 age categories were assessed using the School Clinical Rugby Measure (SCRuM) test battery. Participants underwent height, sitting height, mass, skinfolds, speed, agility, upper-and-lower muscular strength and power, prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability, tackling, passing and catching assessments in a cross-sectional experimental design. Results Age categories had significant main effect on all SCRuM test items except sum of seven skinfolds (p = 0.45, η2p = 0.003). Playing standard had significant main effects for all variables except height (p = 0.40, η2p = 0.01) and sum of seven skinfolds (p = 0.11, η2p = 0.02). Specifically, upper-and-lower muscular strength and power, prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability, tackling, passing and catching improved with increasing playing standards. However, two-way analysis of variance only demonstrated significant interactions between the effects of age category and playing standards for vertical jump height (VJ) test, 2-kg medicine ball chest throw (2-kg MBCT) test, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo IRT L1), and tackling and catching tests. Yo-Yo IRT L1, VJ, tackling and catching tests demonstrated greater discriminative ability among Under 16 s, whereas the 2-kg MBCT test showed better ability in Under 19 s. Conclusion All SCRuM variables except skinfolds improved with age, highlighting relative sensitivity in differentiating older from younger athletes. However, the discriminative ability by playing standards for VJ, 2-kg MBCT, Yo-Yo IRT L1, tackling and catching ability tests was age-dependent. These findings informs on general attribute development in junior rugby players with age and on specific players attributes in need of monitoring for attainment of elite status at U16 or U19 level.
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    Open Access
    Inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability of the Performance and Fitness (PERF-FIT) test battery for children: a test for motor skill related fitness
    (2021-03-11) Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Smit, Eline; Doe-Asinyo, Rosemary X; Lawerteh, Stella E; Aertssen, Wendy; Ferguson, Gillian; Jelsma, Dorothee L
    Background The Performance and Fitness (PERF-FIT) test battery for children is a recently developed, valid assessment tool for measuring motor skill-related physical fitness in 5 to 12-year-old children living in low-income settings. The aim of this study was to determine: (1) inter-rater reliability and (2) test-retest reliability of the PERF-FIT in children from 3 different countries (Ghana, South Africa and the Netherlands). Method For inter-rater reliability 29 children, (16 boys and 13 girls, 6–10 years) were scored by 2 raters simultaneously. For test–retest reliability 72 children, (33 boys and 39 girls, 5–12 years) performed the test twice, minimally 1 week and maximally 2 weeks apart. Relative and absolute reliability indices were calculated. ANOVA was used to examine differences between the three assessor teams in the three countries. Results The PERF-FIT demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC, 0.99) and good test-retest reliability (ICC, ≥ 0.80) for 11 of the 12 tasks, with a poor ICC for the Jumping item, due to low spread in values. A significant difference between first and second test occasion was present on half of the items, but the differences were small (Cohen’s d 0.01–0.17), except for Stepping, Side jump and Bouncing and Catching (Cohen’s d 0.34, 0.41 and 0.33, respectively). Overall, measurement error, Limits of Agreement and Coefficient of Variation had acceptable levels to support clinical use. No systematic dissimilarities in error were found between first and second measurement between the three countries but for one item (Overhead throw). Conclusions The PERF-FIT can reliably measure motor skill related fitness in 5 to 12-year-old children in different settings and help clinicians monitor levels of fundamental motor skills (throwing, bouncing, catching, jumping, hopping and balance), power and agility.
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    Motor learning: an analysis of 100 trials of a ski slalom game in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
    (Public Library of Science, 2015) Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Jelsma, Lemke Dorothee; Ferguson, Gillian D; Geuze, Reint H
    Objective Although Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is often characterized as a skill acquisition deficit disorder, few studies have addressed the process of motor learning. This study examined learning of a novel motor task; the Wii Fit ski slalom game. The main objectives were to determine: 1) whether learning occurs over 100 trial runs of the game, 2) if the learning curve is different between children with and without DCD, 3) if learning is different in an easier or harder version of the task, 4) if learning transfers to other balance tasks. Method 17 children with DCD (6-10 years) and a matched control group of 17 typically developing (TD) children engaged in 20 minutes of gaming, twice a week for five weeks. Each training session comprised of alternating trial runs, with five runs at an easy level and five runs at a difficult level. Wii scores, which combine speed and accuracy per run, were recorded. Standardized balance tasks were used to measure transfer. RESULTS: Significant differences in initial performance were found between groups on the Wii score and balance tasks. Both groups improved their Wii score over the five weeks. Improvement in the easy and in the hard task did not differ between groups. Retention in the time between training sessions was not different between TD and DCD groups either. The DCD group improved significantly on all balance tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The findings in this study give a fairly coherent picture of the learning process over a medium time scale (5 weeks) in children novice to active computer games; they learn, retain and there is evidence of transfer to other balance tasks. The rate of motor learning is similar for those with and without DCD. Our results raise a number of questions about motor learning that need to be addressed in future research.
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    Proprioception, balance and lower limb strength in Nigerian children (7-10 years) with Generalized Joint Hypermobility and Developmental Coordination Disorder
    (2016) Ituen, Oluwakemi Adebukola; Ferguson, Gillian D; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M
    Background and justification: African children are reported as having a higher prevalence of generalised joint hypermobility (GJH) than their Caucasian counterparts. It is believed that abnormal joint biomechanics as a result of the joint laxity contribute to the damage of joints. The ability to perceive movement or position sense at joints (proprioception) is necessary for good postural control and motor performance. Sensory receptors carry information from the joints to the central nervous system for interpretation and appropriate motor response. Damage to these receptors or joint pain may have a negative effect on proprioception and motor control. A number of children with GJH also present with poor motor coordination and some may even have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Children with DCD and GJH also have similar functional difficulties. Both groups of children display difficulty in motor activities at school and home and are referred to as clumsy. There is evidence that poor motor coordination seen in children with DCD may be as a result of their inability to adequately control their flexible joints during movement. The role proprioception, balance and muscle strength plays in the relationship between GJH and DCD is still not clear. Aims and objectives: The main aim of this study was to determine whether proprioception, standing balance and strength in the lower limbs was different between children with GJH and children with normal joint mobility (NM). The specific objectives were to firstly identify the prevalence of GJH in a sample of Nigerian children and determine whether age and gender are related with the prevalence of GJH. Secondly, to determine whether having DCD or not was associated with differences in performance on these measures in children with and without GJH.