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Yo-Yo Test and DEXA Scan

3rd January, 2023

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

  • Recently, the BCCI announced the (re)introduction of the Yo-Yo Test and the introduction of Dexa scansfor the purposes of selection to the team.

What is Yo-Yo Test?

  • The Yo-Yo intermittent test is aimed at estimating performance in stop-and-go sports like football (soccer), cricket, basketball, and the like. It was conceived around the early 1990s by Jens Bangsbo, a Danish soccer physiologist.
  • Like many other tests of fitness, it involves running at ever-increasing speeds, to exhaustion. However, a crucial difference is that the Yo-Yo Intermittent test has periodic rest intervals, thus simulating the nature of exertion in stop-and-go sports.
  • The Yo-Yo test was first introduced to the Indian cricket team during Virat Kohli’s fitness-focused captaincy reign.

Version

  • The most commonly used version involves running between two markers 20 metres apart, following audio cues which dictate the running speed required.
  • After each 40 metres run, the participants have an active break of 10 seconds before running 40 metres again.
  • At regular intervals, the required running speed increases. The test continues until the participants are no longer able to keep up with the required pace.
  • Players are given scores on the basis of how many levels they are able to clear.

What is a DEXA scan?

  • DEXA stands for “dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.”
  • A DEXA scan is a type of medical imaging test. It uses very low levels of x-rays to measure the calcium and other minerals in the bones to inturn measure the density of bones.

Importance of these Tests in Sports

  • The Dexa scan and Yo -Yo Test can be used to provide a more accurate picture of the players’ fitness and physical condition, allowing the team to customise plans for players.
  • It will also allow better insight into players’ recoveries, ensuring that players are not rushed back too early.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sports/bcci-players-selection-fitness-yo-yo-test-dexa-scan-8356841/