# Lower-Limb Neuromuscular Profiles from Force Plate Testing During Elite Women’s Basketball National Team Camps: A Retrospective Comparison by Final Roster Status

## TL;DR

The study found that force plate metrics did not distinguish between selected and non-selected elite female basketball players, suggesting other factors like experience and age may be more important.

## Contribution

The study introduces a retrospective comparison of neuromuscular profiles in elite female basketball players using force plate data.

## Key findings

- Roster and non-roster players did not differ in force plate-derived strength and power metrics after adjusting for age and position.
- Age and prior international experience may be more influential in selection than neuromuscular performance metrics.
- Force plate testing alone may not predict final roster status in elite basketball.

## Abstract

This study compared force plate-derived lower-limb strength and power metrics between selected and non-selected female basketball players for major international competitions. Thirty-two female players attending the final national team camps for the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games completed isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) and countermovement jump (CMJ) testing on dual force plates (1000 Hz). IMTP peak force, rate of force development (RFD) over 0–200 and 0–250 ms, CMJ height, and phase-specific kinetic variables were compared between roster (n = 14) and non-roster (n = 18) players. Eleven roster players had previous World Cup/Olympic experience (1.5 ± 1.2 selections across all 14 players), whereas non-roster players had none. The roster group was older than the non-roster group (26.8 ± 4.2 vs. 22.3 ± 3.1 years, p = 0.002); therefore, between-group comparisons were adjusted for age and playing position using analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs). After adjustment, no between-group differences were observed in IMTP- or CMJ-derived performance outcomes (all p ≥ 0.12; partial η2 = 0.00–0.09). Therefore, in this elite cohort, roster status did not reflect force plate metrics but may reflect factors beyond these tests, including age and prior international experience.