ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomechanics
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1653751
Effects of Lower Limb Biomechanical Characteristics on Jump Performance in Female Volleyball Players Based on Long Stretch– Shortening Cycle Movements
Provisionally accepted
- School of Athletic Training, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
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Background: In volleyball, certain maneuvers (e.g., depth jumps) involve a long stretch-shortening cycle (long-SSC) characterized by a prolonged landing-to-takeoff phase (ground contact time > 222 ms). However, the key biomechanical factors influencing jump height in such long-SSC movements remain unclear, particularly in female athletes. This study investigated depth jump biomechanics in female volleyball players to identify performance-related factors and inform training optimization. Methods: Eighteen trained female volleyball players performed maximal-effort depth jumps under 3D motion capture. Pearson correlation analysis examined relationships between biomechanical variables and jump height. Participants were then divided into high (HJG) and low (LJG) jump-height groups based on a median split and compared using independent samples t-tests. Results: Jump height correlated positively with peak propulsion velocity, peak propulsion power, knee flexion-extension angle, peak ankle moment, and peak propulsion impulse (all p < 0.05). Compared with LJG, HJG exhibited significantly greater jump height, propulsion velocity, knee flexion-extension angle, and ankle moment but lower leg stiffness and braking force. Differences in contact time, propulsion impulse, and hip angle had moderate effect sizes. Conclusions: Peak propulsion velocity was the strongest correlate of jump height in long-SSC depth jumps. Propulsion-phase variables, particularly ankle torque and impulse, were more influential than braking-phase variables. In contrast to short-SSC tasks, high lower-limb stiffness appears to provide limited benefit for maximizing performance in long-SSC movements. Training for female volleyball players should therefore prioritize developing propulsion-phase power and ankle strength for these types of jumps.
Keywords: Long Stretch-Shortening Cycle, Depth jump, Propulsion velocity, Ankle torque, Lower-limb stiffness, Volleyball
Received: 25 Jun 2025; Accepted: 28 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Deng, Li, Lin, Yan, He, Li and Sun. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Beiwang Deng, School of Athletic Training, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
Jianxin He, School of Athletic Training, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
Duanying Li, School of Athletic Training, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
Jian Sun, School of Athletic Training, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
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