Version 1
: Received: 11 July 2024 / Approved: 12 July 2024 / Online: 15 July 2024 (11:10:27 CEST)
How to cite:
Villa, G.; Papaioannou, F.; Galli, M.; Cimolin, V. Assessment of Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using Inertial Measurement Units and Principal Component Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024071025. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1025.v1
Villa, G.; Papaioannou, F.; Galli, M.; Cimolin, V. Assessment of Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using Inertial Measurement Units and Principal Component Analysis. Preprints 2024, 2024071025. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1025.v1
Villa, G.; Papaioannou, F.; Galli, M.; Cimolin, V. Assessment of Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using Inertial Measurement Units and Principal Component Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024071025. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1025.v1
APA Style
Villa, G., Papaioannou, F., Galli, M., & Cimolin, V. (2024). Assessment of Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using Inertial Measurement Units and Principal Component Analysis. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1025.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Villa, G., Manuela Galli and Veronica Cimolin. 2024 "Assessment of Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using Inertial Measurement Units and Principal Component Analysis" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1025.v1
Abstract
Despite soccer popularity, comparatively little scientific information is available concerning the assessment of youth players’ physiological characteristics. The use of medical software integrating wearable sensors to provide accurate and objective data is necessary. In the present study, the objective assessment of physical performance of 128 adolescent soccer players at two timepoints (pre-season and end-season) has been performed. Participants completed a comprehensive test battery including stability, countermovement jumps (CMJ), plyometric jumps (PJ), agility, and quick feet tests. A single Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor provided quantitative data on various performance metrics. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced the dataset to four principal components (PCs) explaining over 80% of the variance: power (PC1), balance (PC2), speed/agility (PC3), and stiffness (PC4). Paired samples t-test between the two timepoints showed no significant differences in the PCs between the two timepoints, indicating that the training program did not significantly alter the assessed physical attributes. However, subtle individual changes may still inform personalized training adjustments. The study highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and individualized training strategies to optimize athlete performance and reduce injury risk.
Keywords
Soccer players performance; objective physical measurements; Inertial Measurement Units; Principal Component Analysis; wearable sensors; medical software
Subject
Engineering, Bioengineering
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
