Projects covering a range of topics, including psychology, physiology, match analysis and para-badminton, 
decision-making under stress, and strength ratios among elite para-badminton players have been selected for the BWF’s 2016-2017 Sports Science Research Grants.
Six successful applications were selected from 30 proposals from institutions and individuals across all five
continental confederations. The proposals were reviewed by BWF’s eight-member Sports Science Commission headed by BWF Development Chair, Dr. David Cabello.
“We got a varied selection this time. What we got better at is getting the proposals to be more applicable to coaching situations, so it’s not just a theoretical study,” explained BWF Development Director Ian Wright.
“We always got a lot of physiology (proposals), but we’re starting to get a lot more on psychology. This time we got some interesting ones on performance analysis and how the Olympic Games have evolved over two Olympic cycles.”
The projects are as follows:
Topic: Metabolic and Hormonal Responses, and Fluid and Electrolyte Status Following Badminton Matches: Implications for Player Recovery
Area: Exercise Physiology
Institution: Kannur University (India)
Badminton being a high intensity intermittent activity would affect hormonal responses. Fluid and electrolyte imbalances following matches have implications for player recovery. The study seeks to understand patterns of metabolic and hormonal responses and fluid imbalance following repetitive matches.
Topic: Does Training Decision-Making Under Match-like Physiological Exertion Inoculate Players Against the Negative Effects of Physiological Stress?
Area: Psychology and Physiology
Institution: Leeds Beckett University
At the pinnacle of the sport the ability to make correct decisions, particularly under severe psychological and physiological pressure, can be the difference between success and failure. The project aims to offer insights into the match-like physiological stress on decision-making, and a practically applicable training intervention to build players’ resilience to the effects of physiological stress.
Topic: How Temporal and Notational Structure of Badminton has Evolved from 2008 to 2016 in the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Events at the Olympic Games.
Area: Match Analysis/ High Performance
Institution: Badminton Federation of Castilla-La Mancha
Notational analysis using video recordings of the matches provides important conclusions and may be useful for coaches and players to plan more efficient training and competitions. This project aims to increase the knowledge about doubles badminton match analysis and will help to show the evolution that has happened from 2008 to 2016 with respect to the temporal and notational structure in doubles events.
Topic: Are There Differences Between Anthropometrics, Biomechanics and Brain Electrophysiology Through Recreational and Training-to-Performance Players?
Area: Physiology and Sports Psychology
Institution: Santa Catarina’s Middle West Badminton Association and University of West of Santa Catarina (Brazil)
This study aims to evaluate the anthropometrics, biomechanics and brain activity during execution of badminton movements between a group of children which plays just recreational badminton and a group which trains for competition (with middle-advanced skills).
Topic: Acute Physiological, Perceptual Responses and Exercise-induced Muscle Damage of Consecutive Matches in High Performance Junior Badminton Players
Area: Physiology
Institution: University Miguel Hernandez of Elche & University Camilo Jose Cela (Spain)
This project seeks to evaluate the acute responses and exercise-induced muscle damage of playing consecutive badminton matches in a day or accumulated matches during several days. It will seek a greater understanding of how physical performance is altered after playing consecutive matches during a high-level tournament, and about associated muscle damage.
Topic: The Trunk: Strength ratios / Strength in German Elite Para-Badminton Players (Standing Classes and Wheelchair Classes)
Area: Biomechanics, para-badminton
Institution: Olympic Training Centre Rhineland-Palatinate; University Kaiserslautern, Institute for Sport Science; University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Strength and trunk instability due to impairments, disabilities and handicaps can have adverse effects on posture, function and movement. This can influence the performance of badminton players in wheelchair classes as well as in standing classes. This study will investigate trunk muscle strength and trunk muscle strength ratios obtained from German elite para-badminton players. The findings can be used to support the prevention of injuries and optimise rehabilitation.
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