Reliability and validity of a talent identification test battery for seated and standing Paralympic throws

Physical giftedness/talent: A systematic review of the literature on identification and development

In this study, a systematic review was undertaken of the international scholarly literature on the identification and development of giftedness/talent in the physical domain, to establish the scope of current knowledge in the area. To identify relevant research, a search that involved the creation of a search string and the manual examination of the titles and abstracts of potentially relevant research, was conducted using two databases-Web of Science Core Collection and SportDiscus-and six inclusion/exclusion criteria (i.e., relevance to identification or development of physical giftedness/talent, an empirical study, publication in a reputable academic peer-reviewed journal, publication from 2000 to 2021, an English language publication, and authorship by scholars based in any part of the world). The 101 journal articles that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were analyzed for key details, including the year of publication, methodological approaches, participants, and major findings. The five broad themes that emerged from the findings of these articles related to conceptions of physical giftedness/talent, identification characteristics/criteria, factors associated with identification, identification methods, and talent development interventions. An outline and discussion of the key issues and trends in the research, along with some recommendations for future research, conclude the systematic review.

Method of technical training of elite para athletes throwing in sitting position

This study presents a new way to improve technical training in para-athletic disciplines (for athletes with musculoskeletal disorders). The experimental group included 5 men and 1 woman. 5 athletes were preparing to perform in shot put, 2 athletes were preparing to perform in discus throw and 5 athletes were preparing to perform in javelin throw. An algorithm for technical training was developed, comprising three stages. The first stage includes high-speed video recording of the performed exercises in the front plane (from the front, from the back), sagittal plane (from the right, from the left), and transverse plane using a video camera attached to the quadcopter. The second stage includes synchronization of video recordings, recognition of markers, and obtaining 3D biomechanical model of the exercise. The third stage includes the analysis of kinematic characteristics of equipment of competitive exercises with the subsequent interpretation and comparison with the model characteristics revealed earlier by identification of parameters of available motor actions. The recommendations for updating the individual locomotion in the activity and guidance on the selection of major exercises were elaborated. According to the developed algorithm, six measurements were performed in each competitive discipline during the preparatory period of 2 months. After identifying the reserves of equipment, the technique was corrected in each competitive exercise, and the individual recommendations for optimizing the technique were given. At the end of the experiment, the average improvements of athletes were 0.85±0.13 m in discus throw (n=5, P<0.01), 3.15±0.69 m in shot put (n=2, P<0.05); 2.53±0.41 m in javelin throw (n=5, P<0.001). At important competitions at the end of the experiment, the athletes set 10 personal records.

Performance of school-aged children with cerebral palsy at GMFCS levels I and II on high-level, sports-focussed gross motor assessments

PURPOSE

To investigate performance of children with cerebral palsy (CP) at GMFCS Levels I-II on sports-focussed gross motor assessments; and concurrent validity of mainstream and CP-specific high-level assessment batteries and field tests.

METHODS

Fifty-four children (6-12 years) with CP at GMFCS I-II completed the Test of Gross Motor Development-second edition, Gross Motor Function Measure-Challenge Module, Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST), 10 × 5 m Sprint Test (10 × 5 mST), Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, and Seated Throw. Correlations between measures, age and mobility level, and group differences between age and mobility level were examined and content analysis performed.

RESULTS

Children at GMFCS I demonstrated significantly higher gross motor assessment battery scores than children at GMFCS II (U = 73.5-109.0, p < 0.001). Performance improved with age for children at Level I but not II. Children with higher overall motor scores scored higher on running (MPST, 10 × 5 mST, r = -0.516 to -0.816, p < 0.001), jumping (Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, r = 0.499-0.774, p < 0.001) and throwing (Seated Throw, r = 0.341-0.500, p = 0.012 < 0.001) field tests.

CONCLUSIONS

High-level gross motor assessments were achievable and appropriately challenging for children with CP at GMFCS I-II. Scores discriminated between performance and were associated with mobility level. Concurrent validity was established between gross motor assessment batteries, and locomotor field tests.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONFor children with cerebral palsy at GMFCS I-II, sports-focussed assessments should be used to assess high-level gross motor function.The Gross Motor Function Measure-Challenge and Test of Gross Motor Development demonstrate no ceiling for children with cerebral palsy at GMFCS I-II.Single-item running and jumping field tests provide targeted skill assessment and estimate sports skills for children with cerebral palsy.

SPORTS STARS study protocol: a randomised, controlled trial of the effectiveness of a physiotherapist-led modified sport intervention for ambulant school-aged children with cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND

Modified sport interventions run by physiotherapists have shown potential as cost-effective, engaging, and effective interventions to improve gross motor skills and support transition to real-world sports participation for children with cerebral palsy. At present, this population demonstrates decreased participation in physical activities and sport compared to peers due to barriers ranging from body function to accessibility challenges. Sport provides culturally relevant opportunities for social integration, community participation and physical activity and has been shown to improve the fitness, self-esteem, confidence and quality of life of children with disabilities. The Sports Stars physiotherapy group has been designed to support the development of a range of fundamental movement and sports skills through activity skill practice and participation in modified popular Australian sports.

METHODS

This randomised, waitlist controlled, assessor blinded, superiority trial with two parallel groups will aim to compare the effectiveness of Sports Stars to standard care across all ICF domains. Children in the Sports Stars group are expected to demonstrate greater improvement in their individually-selected, sports related goals measured by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. This study will aim to assess sixty ambulant children aged six to 12 years with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Children will be excluded if they have had recent Botox or neurological/orthopaedic surgery. The Sports Stars intervention includes eight, one-hour, weekly physiotherapy group sessions with four to six participants and one lead physiotherapist. Outcome measures will be collected pre, post and 12 weeks post the immediate Sports Stars group to assess change immediately after, and at follow up time points.

DISCUSSION

This will be the first study of its kind to investigate a culturally relevant sports-focussed fundamental movement skills physiotherapy group for ambulant children with cerebral palsy. The findings will add to a growing pool of evidence supporting group physiotherapy for children with cerebral palsy and the Sports Stars group will provide an avenue for children to transition from individual physiotherapy to mainstream and modified recreational and competitive sports.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617000313336 Registered 28, February 2017. WHO Universal Trial Number: U1111-1189-3355 Registered 1, November 2016.

Anthropometry, Body Composition, and Performance in Sport-Specific Field Test in Female Wheelchair Basketball Players

Data on the physical and performance characteristics of female wheelchair basketball (WB) players are scarce. In several countries female WB players train and compete with male players on mixed teams due to the limited total population of players, which would otherwise lead to large territorial spread for each team. Any differences in terms of physical characteristics and/or WB skill proficiency between male and female WB players would be relevant to team performance in mixed teams. This work examined anthropometry, body composition, and performance in a set of sport-specific field tests in a sample of 13 female WB players representing about 40% of the eligible population in Italy across a range of functional point scores (Point). Point is assigned on an ordinal scale from 1.0 (i.e., players with minimal functional potential) through to 4.5 (players with maximum functional potential). Our female sample was then compared against twice as many (n = 26) Point-matched (±0.5 points) male players. The two groups were similar for age (P = 0.191; effect size [d] = 0.2), self-reported duration of injury (P = 0.144, d = 0.6), WB experience (P = 0.178, d = 0.5), and volume of training (P = 0.293, d = 0.4). The large majority of measured linear anthropometric variables (10/13) were lower in female players than males (0.001 < P ≤ 0.041). Skinfold-estimated percent body fat was higher (+7.6%) in females (30.7 ± 6.0%; P < 0.001, d = 1.3). Mean performance was worse in female than in males in six out of seven sport-specific field tests, scores being significantly lower in females for the maximal pass (7.5 ± 2.0 m for females vs. 10.4 ± 2.8 m for males; P = 0.002, d = 1.2) and suicide tests (55.8 ± 6.4 s for females vs. 45.4 ± 6.7 s for males; P < 0.001, d = 1.6). When performance in subgroups of females (n = 9) chosen across a range of Point was compared with that of males assigned 1.0 or 1.5 Point less (each n = 9), performance differences between male and female WB players were partially and completely eliminated, respectively. This work contributed new data for characterizing the physique and performance of female WB players. Further, the results suggested that when male and female athletes compete together in mixed teams, a 1.5 points subtraction from female players is needed to match the real gender difference in performance.