Abstract

Ten-pin bowling is considered a highly skilled recreational activity with players demonstrating various anthropometric and physiological characteristics. The purpose of the current study was to assess both static and dynamic body balance, in ten-pin bowlers of different level of competitiveness. Thirty four ten-pin bowlers who competed at a high (Level-A, n=17) and a lower level (Level-B, n=17) as well as eighteen individuals without experience in ten-pin bowling (Non-bowlers) participated in the study. Static balance was determined based on the anteroposterior (APd) and mediolateral displacement (MLd) of the center-of-foot-pressure (CoP) that was recorded during single-leg-stance with open and close eyes as well as with open eyes and head extension. Dynamic balance was determined based on the APd and MLd of CoP as well as the normalized distances reached during execution of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) in the posterior, posterolateral and lateral directions. Significantly better dynamic balance, in terms of the distances reached during SEBT execution, was demonstrated by Level-A bowlers compared to Level-B bowlers and Non-bowlers. The differences between groups regarding APd and MLd, during both static and dynamic balance testing, were in general not significant. Our findings revealed that ten-pin bowlers who compete at a higher level demonstrate better dynamic balance ability. Sports scientists and coaches should be aware of these differences to optimize performance or distinguish ten-pin bowlers with different level of competitiveness.

Keywords

Recreational activity, Target sports, Athletic performance, Postural stability, Level of competitiveness,

References

  1. Razman R, Cheong JPG, Wan Abas WAB, Abu Osman NA. Anthropometric and strength characteristics of tenpin bowlers with different playing abilities. Biology of Sport. 2012;29(1):33–8.
  2. P.R. Thomas, P.J. Schlinker, R. Over, Psychological and psychomotor skills associated with prowess at ten-pin bowling, Journal of Sports Sciences, 14 (1996) 255–268.
  3. K.C. Young, V.D. Sherk, D.A. Bemben, Inter-limb musculoskeletal differences in competitive tenpin bowlers: A preliminary analysis, Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 11 (2011) 21–26.
  4. T.C. Sell, Y.S. Tsai, J.M. Smoliga, J.B. Myers, S.M. Lephart, Strength, flexibility, and balance characteristics of highly proficient golfers, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21 (2007) 1166–1171.
  5. A.E. Devan, H. Tanaka, Declines in ten-pin bowling performance with advancing age, Age Ageing, 36 (2007) 693–694.
  6. B. Tan, A. Rashid Aziz, T. Kong Chuan, Correlations between physiological parameters and performance in elite ten-pin bowlers, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 3 (2000) 176–185.
  7. D.P.K. Chu, B. Zhang, K. Mau, Ten-pin bowling technique on elite players. In: Gianikellis KE, editor. 20th International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports, 2002. p. 123–5.
  8. R. Razman, W.A.B. Wan Abas, N.A.A. Othman, Front foot slide variability and its relation to ten-pin bowling performance. In: R. Jensen, W. Ebben, E. Petushek, C.R.K. Richter, editor. Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Biomechanics in Sports. Michigan, USA; 2010. p. 759–60.
  9. R. Vasiljev, A. Vasiljev, S. Milosavljevic, An exploration of center of pressure under the delivery leg during nine-pin bowling, Footwear Science, 7(Suppl.1) (2015) S8–S10.
  10. L.J. Elias, M.P. Bryden, M.B. Bulman-Fleming, Footedness is a better predictor than is handedness of emotional lateralization, Neuropsychologia, 36 (1998) 37–43.
  11. P.A. Gribble, J. Hertel, Considerations for normalizing measures of the Star Excursion Balance Test, Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 7 (2003) 89– 100.
  12. C. Hrysomallis, Balance ability and athletic performance, Sport Medicine, 41 (2011) 221– 232.
  13. P. Era, N. Konttinen, P. Mehto, P. Saarela, H. Lyytinen, Postural stability and skilled performance-A study on top-level and naive rifle shooters, Journal of Biomechanics, 29 (1996) 301–306.
  14. J. Larue, C. Bard, L. Otis, M. Fleury, Stability in shooting: the effect of expertise in the biathlon and in rifle shooting, Canadian Journal of Sport Sciences, 14 (1989) 38–45.
  15. T. Paillard, E. Margnes, M. Portet, A. Breucq, Postural ability reflects the athletic skill level of surfers, European Journal of Applied Physiology, 111 (2011) 1619–1623.
  16. Y. Endo, M. Sakamoto, Relationship between lower extremity tightness and Star Excursion Balance Test performance in junior high school baseball players, Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26 (2014) 661–663.
  17. M.C. Hoch, G.S. Staton, P.O. McKeon, Dorsiflexion range of motion significantly influences dynamic balance, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 14 (2011) 90–92.
  18. D.G. Behm, Periodized training program of the Canadian olympic curling team. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 29 (2007) 24–31.
  19. L. Bottoms, A. Greenhalgh, J. Sinclair, Kinematic determinants of weapon velocity during the fencing lunge in experienced épée fencers, Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics, 15 (2013) 109–13.
  20. T.L.W. Chen, D.W.C. Wong, Y. Wang, S. Ren, F. Yan, M. Zhang, Biomechanics of fencing sport: A scoping review, PLoS One, 12 (2017).
  21. K.S. Yoo, H.K. Kim, J.H. Park, A biomechanical assessment of the sliding motion of curling delivery in elite and subelite curlers, Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 28 (2012) 694–700.
  22. V. Niinimaa, T. McAvoy, Influence of exercise on body sway in the standing rifle shooting position, Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 8 (1983) 30–33.
  23. T. Paillard, F. Noé, Effect of expertise and visual contribution on postural control in socce, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 16 (2006) 345–348.
  24. T. Paillard, F. Noé, T. Rivière, V. Marion, R. Montoya, P. Dupui, Postural performance and strategy in the unipedal stance of soccer players at different levels of competition, Journal of Athletic Training, 41 (2006) 172– 176.
  25. F. Noé, T. Paillard, Is postural control affected by expertise in alpine skiing? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39 (2005) 835–837.
  26. T. Paillard, C. Costes-Salon, C. Lafont, P. Dupui, Are there differences in postural regulation according to the level of competition in judoists?, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 36 (2002) 304–305.
  27. D.W. Chapman, K.J. Needham, G.T. Allison, B. Lay, D.J. Edwards, Effects of experience in a dynamic environment on postural control, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 42 (2008) 16–21.
  28. D. Karagiannakis, K. Iatridou, S. Athanasopoulos, D. Mandalidis, Postural control during Star Excursion Balance Test. In: A. Radmann, S. Hedenborg, E. Tsolakidis, editors. Book of Abstracts of the 20th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Malmö; 2015. p. 220.
  29. P.A. Gribble, R.H. Robinson, J. Hertel, C.R. Denegar, The effects of gender and fatigue on dynamic postural control, Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 18 (2009) 240–257.
  30. Borden F. Bowling: Knowledge is the Key. Elite Bowling Corp; 1986.
  31. H. Kiers, J. Van Dieën, H. Dekkers, H. Wittink, L. Vanhees, A systematic review of the relationship between physical activities in sports or daily life and postural sway in upright stance, Sport Medicine, 43 (2013) 1171–1189.