Neuromuscular but Not Technical Performance is Affected by Time-of-Day in Semiprofessional, Female Basketball Players

Abstract

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether variations in technical and neuromuscular performance occur across different times of the day in basketball players. Methods: Twenty semiprofessional, female basketball players (23 ± 4 years) competing in a second-division national basketball competition completed separate testing batteries in the morning (08:30) and in the afternoon (17:30) in a randomized counterbalanced order. Testing sessions consisted of a free-throw accuracy test to assess technical performance, as well as flexibility (ankle dorsiflexion range-of-motion test), dynamic balance (modified star excursion balance test), vertical jump height (squat jump, countermovement jump with and without arm swing), strength (isometric handgrip), change-of-direction speed (V-cut test), and linear speed (20-m sprint) tests to assess neuromuscular performance. Mechanism variables were also obtained including tympanic temperature, urinary specific gravity, and rating of perceived exertion at each session. Results: Squat jump height (6.7%; p = .001; effect size (ES) = 0.33), countermovement jump height with (4.1%; p = .018; ES = 0.27) and without arm swing (5.9%; p = .007; ES = 0.30), and 20-m sprint time (−1.4%; p = .015; ES = -0.32) were significantly superior in the afternoon compared to morning. Tympanic temperature was significantly higher in the afternoon than morning (1.4%; p < .001; ES = 1.31). In contrast, no significant differences between timepoints were evident for all remaining variables (p > .05; ES = -0.33 to 0.16). Conclusions: Some neuromuscular variables exhibited a time-of-day effect with better jump and sprint performance in the afternoon compared to morning in semiprofessional, female basketball players.