This study is mainly aimed at showing some functional aptitude indices in 24 soccer players of the Jamaican all-star team, aged 23.9 ± 3.7 years and pre-classified for the 1998 World Cup in France. All of the athletes were submitted to a battery of tests including: 1) evaluation of power, muscular endurance, and fatigue index by means of the Wingate Test carried out on a computerized bicycle (Cybex trademark-Bike model); 2) lower limb computerized isokinetic test using Cybex equipment (model 1200); 3) flexibility evaluation using Wells & Dillon test; 4) laboratorial analyses; 5) dental evaluation by clinical examination in Funk office (model MLX Plus). Parameters and results obtained were the following: Wingate Test: peak power corrected by weight = 11.8 ± 1.8 w.kg-1; average power = 9.1 ± 1.2 w.kg-1; fatigue index = 46.2 ± 15.2%; Flexibility = 19.8 ± 4.6 cm; Laboratorial analyses: urine type 1, feces, hemoglobin = 14.3 ± 1.0 g%; iron = 104 ± 29 ng/dl; ferritin = 81.8 ± 41.7 ng/dl; transferrin = 502.5 ± 502.5 ug/dl; hematocrit = 43.5 ± 2.9%; erythrocytes = 49.95 ± 0.40 million/m³; glucose = 91.0 ± 8.5 mg/dl; Dental evaluation: tartar in 5 (21%); caries in 24 (100%); gingivitis in 10 (42%); endodontia in 3 (12.5%); pulpitis in 1 (4%); diastema in 2 (8%); heterotopic in 13 (54%); extractions achieved in 14 (58%); extractions unachieved in 4 (17%); fillings in 4 (17%); prosthesis in 16 (67%). Seventeen (71%) of the athletes were under prophylactic treatment. Kinetic performance: LL right torque at 60ºS-1 in extension = 290.4 ± 95.6 Nm; in flexion = 216.1 ± 31.4 Nm; LL left torque at 60ºS-1 in extension = 291.6 ± 62.5 Nm; in flexion = 205.8 ± 35.8 Nm. CONCLUSION: despite the lack of technological structure in the Jamaican soccer, results have shown that soccer player indices of functional aptitude with respect to the players submitted to evaluation in this study are similar to those observed in the Center for Integrated Medicine.
Soccer players; Jamaica all-star team; Flexibility; Wingate anaerobic test; Isokinetic evaluation; Sports Medicine
