Agreement and Sensitivity of the Acceleration-Velocity Profile Derived via Local Positioning System.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Performance Analysis

Background:

• Sprint performance is often assessed using discrete tests and kinematic models like the acceleration-velocity profile (AVP).
• Discrete testing presents logistical challenges and limits AVP definition to isolated environments.
• An in situ AVP method using global/local positioning systems (GPS/LPS) offers potential for efficient sprint monitoring over multiple sessions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the concurrent validity and sensitivity of kinematic parameters derived from the velocity-acceleration method.
• To compare in situ estimates with criterion measures (laser gun) in elite youth athletes.
• To determine the practical significance of AVP parameter estimates from the velocity-acceleration method.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-one elite youth basketball athletes performed maximal 30m sprints.
• Simultaneous performance measurement using a laser gun and LPS (Kinexon).
• Kinematic parameters estimated via time-velocity and velocity-acceleration methods.

Main Results:

• Agreement between laser gun and LPS estimates was within ±5% bias.
• The velocity-acceleration method showed practical significance for maximal sprinting speed (MSS) sensitivity.
• Sensitivity for relative acceleration (TAU), maximum acceleration (MAC), and maximal power (PMAX) was generally unsatisfactory (>10%).

Conclusions:

• Sports practitioners can trust in situ MSS estimates derived from the velocity-acceleration method for validity and sensitivity.
• Caution is recommended when using the velocity-acceleration method to assess maximal acceleration capabilities.
• The in situ AVP method shows promise for monitoring MSS but requires further validation for other kinematic parameters.