Author(s): YAMAZAKI, Y., KATO, R., YAMAMOTO, K., MIYAMOTO, K., WAKI, H., SUZUKI, D., KAWATA, Y., YANAGIYA, T., Institution: JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1939

INTRODUCTION:
In volleyball, the spike and block jump are crucial technical factors that determine competitive performance. These jump heights are a key determinant of performance, with successful spikes requiring greater jump heights than unsuccessful attempts 1) and higher jump heights in blocking are considered to increase the likelihood of stopping an opponent’s attack. In contrast, focusing on the landing phase, the vertical ground reaction forces acting on the foot reach approximately 3.7 times body weight in spike jumps and 2.8 times body weight in blocking 2). Therefore, reducing landing impact in volleyball jumps is an essential issue for the prevention of lower-limb injuries. Generally, volleyball is played on wooden flooring in arenas, but international competitions use Taraflex®, while Japan’s professional league uses Connect Mat®, both of which are synthetic sports surfaces. These synthetic sports surfaces were originally introduced to reduce injury risks associated with the deterioration of wooden flooring and are also considered to provide superior impact attenuation compared with wooden flooring. However, the effects of these surfaces on both jump performance and mechanical load on the body during actual volleyball jumps have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare jump height and plantar loading during spike and block jumps on different sports surfaces.
METHODS:
Twenty-six healthy female collegiate volleyball players participated in this study. Participants performed spike and block jumps on three different surface conditions: wooden flooring and two types of synthetic sports surfaces (Taraflex® [Kuriyama Japan Corp., Japan] and Connect Mat® [TOLI Corp., Japan]). Both jumps were recorded from sagittal plane using a video camera, and jump height was estimated based on flight time. Plantar loading was recorded using sensor insoles, calculating peak plantar loading and impulse during the take-off phase, and peak plantar loading and loading rate during the landing phase. Discrete variables were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA across the surface conditions.
RESULTS:
In spike jumps, synthetic surfaces showed significantly higher jump height and lower landing peak plantar loading than wooden flooring. Conversely, in block jumps, synthetic surfaces showed significantly lower jump height, with no significant differences in plantar loading.
CONCLUSION:
The findings of this study suggest that the influence of sports surfaces on jump performance and mechanical loading varies depending on the specific movement characteristics of volleyball jumps. In conclusion, synthetic surfaces enhanced jump height and reduced landing impact in spike jumps, but decreased jump height in block jumps compared to wooden flooring. No significant differences were observed between the two types of synthetic surfaces across all variables.
【References】
1) Sarvestan et al., J Sports Sci, 2020.
2) Garcia et al., BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil, 2022.