Between-Sessions Reliability and Magnitude Differences in the Isometric Midthigh Pull: Effects of Procedural and...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Human Performance

Background:

• The isometric midthigh pull is a key test for assessing lower body strength.
• Optimizing testing protocols is crucial for reliable and valid performance measurement in athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of different isometric midthigh pull procedures (short vs. traditional) on reliability and force measurement.
• To investigate the influence of ranking and summarization methods on test outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two elite athletes performed short (1s) and traditional (3-5s) isometric midthigh pull tests.
• Force data (peak force, net force at specific times) were collected and analyzed using various ranking and summarization techniques.
• Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV).

Main Results:

• The short procedure showed superior reliability for early force measures (≤200ms) when ranked by net force at 100ms (NF100).
• Both procedures demonstrated good to excellent reliability for peak force (PF), with a slight edge to traditional methods.
• Early force measures were significantly higher with the short procedure (15-28% increase), while peak force was lower (-9% decrease).

Conclusions:

• The short isometric midthigh pull procedure is a reliable and time-efficient alternative for assessing early and peak force-generating capacity.
• Implementing both short and traditional protocols can provide a comprehensive evaluation of an athlete's force production.