Vertical Jump Performance And Adiposity Correlation In Male Amputee Mexican Soccer Players: An Exploratory Analysis

Motor disability encompasses the partial or complete impairment of limb function due to congenital absence, traumatic amputation, or sequelae of disease. Para-athletes, akin to their able-bodied counterparts, engage in rigorously designed physical training regimens aimed at optimizing athletic performance. Amputee soccer, prevalent among para-athletes in Mexico, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of performance metrics, particularly the vertical jump prowess and adiposity percentage, as they are pivotal determinants of athletic proficiency in the sport. Purpose: To delineate the performance level and elucidate the association between vertical leap capabilities (squat jump [SJ] and countermovement jump [CMJ]) and body fat percentage (BF%) in amputee soccer athletes. Methods: Nine male amputee soccer players (36.22 ± 9.29 years; 170.66 ± 6.32 cm; 84.13 ± 16.76 kg) were subjected to performance assessments once. Vertical jump measurements for SJ and CMJ were obtained via the MyJump2 application, and BF% was deduced using the sum of four skinfold measurements (anterior thigh, abdominal, subscapular, and axillary) according to the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) standards. Descriptive and inferential statistics computed using SPSS v 21.0 (p < .05). Results: Performance results yielded an average SJ of 14.07 ± 1.98 cm and CMJ of 15.14 ± 3.20 cm, with a BF% of 29.48 ± 9.32. A robust and statistically significant negative correlation was observed between CMJ and BF% (r = -0.791, p = .011), unlike the SJ, which demonstrated a non-significant inverse relationship with BF% (r = -0.261, p = .497). Conclusion: The findings underscore the relevance of CMJ as a negatively correlated indicator of adiposity in amputee soccer athletes, suggesting its utility in monitoring and programming targeted training interventions. While the SJ also displayed an inverse correlation with BF%, it did not reach statistical significance. Possible limitations include the use of mobile application-based measurements as opposed to a force platform, and potential errors in anthropometric data acquisition. Future research should incorporate larger samples and a more granular analysis of body composition, particularly considering the unique physiological attributes of amputees.