Validity, reliability, and usefulness of jump performance from a low-cost contact mat

The purpose of this study was to establish the validity, reliability, and usefulness of a low-cost contact mat equipment (CM) with a force plate (FP) as the reference. Eleven female (18.6 +/- 3.67 yrs.) and male (18.2 +/- 2.71 yrs.) basketball athletes performed hands-on-waist countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) trials. Flight time (FT) and jump height (JH) in CMJ and SJ were subjected for analysis. Relative error expressed as percentage (%RE) was utilized to examine criterion validity between CM and FP. Concurrent validity was also established using Pearson moment correlation (r). Absolute reliability was determined using coefficient of variation (%CV). Relative reliability was identified using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Usefulness was established by comparing typical error (TE) vs. smallest worthwhile change (SWC). Results revealed that CMJ and SJ from a low-cost CM can be used as an alternative tool in assessment of jump performance.