Association between Change in Regional Phase Angle and Jump Performance: A Pilot Study in Serie A Soccer Players

• Main Authors: Tindaro Bongiovanni, Athos Trecroci, Alessio Rossi, Fedon Marcello Iaia, Giulio Pasta, Francesco Campa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Asociación Universitaria de Educación 2021-08-01
• Series: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
• Subjects: body composition; bioelectrical impedance analysis; BIA; football
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/11/3/63
• ISSN: 2174-8144; 2254-9625

<i>Purpose:</i> This observational longitudinal investigation aimed to investigate whether change in bioelectrical regional phase angle (PhA) is a predictor of change in vertical jump performance in elite soccer players. <i>Methods</i>: Fifteen soccer players (age: 28.7 ± 5.0 years, body weight: 82.4 ± 6.8 kg, height: 186.0 ± 0.1 cm, body mass index: 23.8 ± 1.2 kg/m²) competing in the first Italian division (Serie A) were included in this study and tested before the pre-season period and after the first half of the championship. Whole body and lower hemisoma PhA were obtained with a phase-sensitive 50 kHz bioelectrical impedance analyzer and legs lean soft tissue was estimated using specific bioimpedance-based equation developed for athletes. Vertical jump performance was assessed using the countermovement jump (CMJ). Results: The major findings of the study are that changes in lower hemisoma PhA are more strongly related with changes in jump performance (r² = 0.617, <i>p</i> = 0.001) than changes in whole-body PhA (r² = 0.270, <i>p</i> = 0.047), even after adjusting for legs lean soft tissue and for body mass index (β = 5.17, <i>p</i> = 0.004). <i>Conclusions:</i> These data suggest that changes in lower hemisoma PhA might be used as a tool for evaluating performance related parameters in sports where specific body segments are involved, in preference to the whole-body measured value.