MEDICINA SPORTIVA - Journal of Romanian Sports Medicine Society

Hand grip strength, leg explosive power and vertical jump performance among Nigerian university male basketball players and healthy controls

Aim. Given the complex nature of modern professional basketball play, there are conflicting reports on the correlations among hand grip strength (hgs), leg explosive power (lep) and vertical jump performance (vjp), hence this study.
Material and Method. Sixty consenting students (30 basketball players and 30 non-athletes) from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria were purposively recruited into the study. Hand grip strength was assessed using hand grip dynamometer, vjp was assessed using standing vertical counter movement jump with arm swing using the jump-reach-test, while lep was determined using Sawyer predictive power equation. Anthropometric measures of body weight (wt), height (ht), and body mass index (BMI) were obtained. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics of Pearson product moment correlation analysis and multiple regressions were employed. Alpha level was set at p<0.05.
Results. Significant positive correlation was found between hgs and BMI in basketball players only (r=0.406; p=0.026); and significant positive correlation was found between lep and BMI in both basketball players (r=0.476; p=0.008) and non-athletes (r=0.644; p=0.000). Significant positive correlation was found between lep and vjp in basketball players (r=0.812; p=0.000) as well as between hgs and lep (r=0.516; p=0.004). However, no significant correlation between hgs and vjp (p>0.05). A significant (p<0.05) predictive value for vjp was obtained when lep, age, ht, hgs, BMI, wt was added to the multiple regression model for basketball players with 99% of adjusted r2.
Conclusion. LEP correlates strongly with vjp in male basketball players but moderately with hgs. Also, hgs among other factors is a predictor of vjp in male basketball players.