Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Stress and Bowling Skills in Cricket Medium Fast Bowlers
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 20
- 试验地点
- 4
- 主要终点
- Change in Perceived Stress Score
研究概览
简要总结
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a 4-week Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) protocol can manage psychological stress and improve performance in male cricket medium-fast bowlers aged 16-30 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does a 4-week PMR protocol significantly reduce perceived stress scores compared to standard training?
- Does a 4-week PMR protocol significantly improve ball release speed and bowling accuracy? Researchers will compare an experimental group receiving a structured PMR protocol prior to warm-ups to a control group following standard traditional training (generalized warm-ups, stretching, and shadow bowling) to see if the relaxation intervention leads to lower perceived stress, higher bowling speed, and improved bowling accuracy.
Participants will:
- Complete the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at baseline and after the 4-week period.
- Deliver six balls at a designated target pitch and stump zone while being timed by a hand-held radar gun to measure baseline and post-intervention speed and accuracy.
- Depending on group assignment, either attend 2 sessions per week of a structured, contract-relax progressive muscle relaxation protocol or attend 2 sessions per week of traditional warm-up and stretching drills.
详细描述
- Theoretical Framework and Clinical Rationale Cricket is a global, multi-format sport that places exceptional physical and psychological demands on its participants. Within a team's bowling lineup, medium-fast bowlers (operating at delivery speeds between 120\text{-}130\text{ km/h}) occupy a highly taxing role. These athletes must transition linear momentum from an explosive run-up into angular velocity through a complex kinetic chain, all while maintaining precise mechanical consistency under intense match pressure.
This combination of intense physical force and psychological pressure often triggers excessive sympathetic nervous system activation, commonly known as competitive anxiety. This neurophysiological state causes localized muscle tension, elevates cortisol levels, and disrupts the fine motor coordination required for accurate delivery. Over time, this chronic stress can also increase injury risks, particularly lumbar spine stress fractures.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), originally developed by Edmund Jacobson, is a somatic mind-body intervention based on the premise that mental tranquility can be systematically induced through physical relaxation. PMR uses a dual-pathway neural mechanism. Top-down conscious control regulates intentional muscle contractions, while bottom-up proprioceptive feedback from peripheral mechanoreceptors downregulates sympathetic output, promoting parasympathetic dominance.
While PMR has established benefits in precision sports like shooting or basketball, its specific impact on the dual physical demands (speed and accuracy) of cricket bowling remains under-researched. This study examines whether managing an athlete's psychological stress profile can enhance motor performance outcomes. 2. Protocol and Implementation Architecture The study was conducted as a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial over asix monthsacross various cricket clubs in Islamabad, Pakistan. To isolate the effects of the intervention, participants were randomized using a coin toss into two parallel groups following baseline assessments.
Experimental Group (Group A): Participants underwent a structured 4-week PMR protocol consisting of 2 sessions per week, administered in a quiet environment before routine athletic warm-ups. The protocol utilized a systematic, distal-to-proximal flow, training bowlers to intentionally tense specific muscle groups for 5-10 seconds before releasing them for 10-20 seconds. The progression moved from individual lower-limb groups to combined, continuous multi-muscle sequences to build somatic awareness.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
盲法说明
The data investigator responsible for recording the outcome measures including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), radar gun speed tracking, and target-zone accuracy scoring was kept entirely unaware of which group the participants were assigned to throughout the duration of the trial to eliminate measurement bias.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 25 Years（Adult）
- 性别
- Male
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Must be a male cricket medium-fast bowler.
- •Must be between 18 and 25 years of age.
- •Must be an active club-level player with a minimum of 2 years of competitive playing experience.
- •Must be physically healthy, fit, and currently active in regular training.
排除标准
- •Recent Injuries: Any history of recent lower-limb or upper-limb orthopedic injuries, acute musculoskeletal trauma, or surgeries within the past 6 months.
- •Any history of underlying neurological disorders or clinical psychological conditions that could independently alter motor coordination or stress perception.
- •Currently undergoing or having recently undergone any structured psychological therapies, systematic relaxation training, or counseling programs.
- •Any current chronic systemic diseases or medical issues that would prevent safe participation in standard athletic field training.
结局指标
主要结局
Change in Perceived Stress Score
时间窗: Baseline and the end of Week 4.
Evaluated using the validated 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The instrument utilizes a 5-point Likert scale (0-4) to evaluate perceived unpredictability, overload, and lack of somatic control. Total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores denoting a greater psychological stress profile.
Change in Ball Release Speed
时间窗: Baseline and the end of Week 4
The maximum instantaneous velocity of the ball at release, quantified in kilometers per hour (km/h). This is measured objectively using a hand-held Stalker ATS radar gun positioned directly behind the bowler or parallel to the ball's trajectory while the participant bowls standard 156g Kookaburra cricket balls.
Change in Bowling Accuracy Score
时间窗: Baseline and the end of Week 4
Evaluated using a categorical target-based field configuration. Participants bowl six deliveries aimed at two specific zones: a flat good-length pitch zone (2m width, placed 4-6m in front of the batting crease) and a vertical stump target sheet (35cm x 100cm). Each delivery is scored on a 0-2 scale: 0 for missing both, 1 for hitting one zone, and 2 for successfully hitting both zones
次要结局
未报告次要终点
研究者
Rohail Amir
Senior Lecturer
Riphah International University