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Copyright of Motricidad: European Journal of Human Movement is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Ciencias del Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Balance impairment is a common feature in people with cerebral palsy (CP), affecting the performance of daily-life and physical activities., Objectives: To (1) explore the absolute and relative intrasession reliability of two balance tests to assess dynamic and static balance in ambulant para-athletes with CP; (2) explore the relationships between the two balance tests to determine potential application in sport classification; (3) assess the differences between CP profiles (ie, spastic diplegia, athetosis/ataxia, and spastic hemiplegia) in comparison to those with a minimum impairment; and (4) compare the outcomes of the static and dynamic balance of ambulant para-athletes with CP regarding controls., Methods: A group of 129 male well-trained para-footballers with CP, classified as Level I according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System, participated in the present study. Static balance was assessed using the One-Leg Stance test, performed bilaterally on a force platform, and the dynamic balance was assessed in two conditions of the Tandem Walk test (TW): walking heel-toe contact over a 5 -m straight line and performing 10 steps., Results: Moderate-to-excellent intrasession reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.60-0.98) was obtained for all the measurements and groups. However, only small to moderate correlations were found between the dynamic and the static measurements of balance for the CP group when performing the One-Leg Stance test with the unimpaired or dominant leg (0.23 < r < 0.30; P < .01). The TW performed over 10 steps revealed more sensitivity to discriminate between CP profiles. Those para-athletes with ataxia/athetosis performed worse in all the tests whereas all CP profiles performed worse than the control group (P < .01)., Conclusions: Balance performance and postural control are constrained to a higher extent in those with impaired voluntary control due to ataxia or with involuntary contractions of the muscles due to athetosis., (© 2021 The Authors. PM&R published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)

This study examined the effects of a 6-week non-failure strength training program in youth tennis players. Twenty tennis players (age: 15.0 ± 1 years, body height: 170.9 ± 5.1 cm, body mass: 63.3 ± 9.1 kg) were divided into experimental and control groups. Pre and post-tests included half squats, bench press, squat jumps, countermovement-jumps and side-ball throws. Salivary cortisol samples were collected, and the Profile of Mood States questionnaire was used weekly during an anatomical adaptation period, a main training period and after a tapering week. The results showed that, after the main training period, the experimental group significantly improved (p<0.05) in mean and peak power output and in the total number of repetitions during the half-squat endurance test; mean force, power and velocity in the half-squat power output test; Profile of Mood States (in total mood disturbance between the last week of the mean training period and the tapering week); and in squat-jump and countermovement-jump height. Moreover, significant differences were found between the groups at the post-tests in the total number of repetitions, mean and peak power during the half-squat endurance test, mean velocity in the half-squat power output test, salivary cortisol concentration (baselines, first and third week of the mean training period) and in the Profile of Mood States (in fatigue subscale: first and third week of the mean training period). In conclusion, a non-failure strength training protocol improved lower-limb performance levels and produced a moderate psychophysiological impact in youth elite tennis players, suggesting that it is a suitable program to improve strength. Such training protocols do not increase the total training load of tennis players and may be recommended to improve strength.