(40) ANKLE STIFFNESS AND PERFORMANCE IN TRACK SPRINTING ATHLETES: A COLLEGIATE STUDY

Ankle stiffness is a crucial biomechanical factor influencing athletic performance, particularly in sprinting and jumping activities. Understanding its role can help tailor training interventions to enhance athletic outcomes.

Purpose: This study sought to examine the relationship between ankle stiffness, range of motion (ROM), and performance in track athletes, with an emphasis on gender differences in these variables and their impact on sprinting and jumping performances.

Methods: 16 collegiate track and field sprint athletes (10 males, 6 females) performed a single-leg 5-hop test to evaluate ankle stiffness and weight-bearing lunge test to evaluate ankle dorsiflexion ROM. Motion capture technology (Qualisys System) and a Kistler force plate, complemented by Visual3D software analysis, were utilized to collect biomechanical data. Participants were marked with reflective markers at specific lower-limb anatomical points to  measure ankle movements during the tests. During the hop test, efforts were made to isolate ankle joint mechanics by minimizing knee flexion/extension and minimizing ground contact time. Data analysis was performed on a dataset comprising track athletes, focusing on ankle stiffness (dominant, non-dominant, and average), ROM, and performance metrics (30 m Acceleration, 30 m Fly, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump). Statistical analyses included linear regression to assess thfe impact of ankle stiffness on performance metrics and independent t-tests to explore gender differences in these variables.

Results: Linear regression analyses identified significant negative correlations between average ankle stiffness and 30 m Acceleration times (r = -0.57, p = 0.026), and significant positive relationships with 30 m Fly times (non-dominant ankle stiffness r = -0.65, p = 0.009, average stiffness r = -0.57 p = 0.021). Jumping performance analyses revealed significant associations between dominant ankle stiffness and Vertical Jump (r = 0.58, p = 0.032), and average ankle stiffness with Broad Jump (r = 0.57, p = 0.018). Gender differences were significant in ankle stiffness and performance, with males showing higher stiffness and better performance (p-values ranging from 0.001 to 0.005, Cohen’s d values from 0.76 to 0.82). The study found that increased ankle stiffness is beneficial for acceleration and jump performance, with males possessing higher ankle stiffness and better sprint and jump performance. These results suggest that ankle stiffness plays a critical role in athletic performance, with implications for gender-specific training strategies.

Conclusion: Increased ankle stiffness correlates with enhanced performance in sprinting and jumping among track athletes, with noticeable gender differences in these effects. These findings highlight the importance of considering ankle stiffness in training programs and the need for gender-specific approaches to optimize athletic performance. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Sports scientists need to further investigate the relative differences within each gender. Coaches and trainers are advised to incorporate exercises aimed at optimizing ankle stiffness into training routines, with a focus on personalized strategies considering gender differences. Such targeted interventions could lead to improved outcomes in sprints and jumps, contributing to the overall performance of track athletes.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to acknowledge the support of this work by the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance and the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation.