Predictors of Athlete’s Performance in Ultra-Endurance Mountain Races

Background: In previous studies, ultra-endurance performance has been associated with training and psychological variables. However, performance under extreme conditions is understudied, mainly due to difficulties in making field measures. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of training, hydration, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in athletes’ performance in ultra-endurance mountain events. Methods: We analyzed the variables of race time and training, hydration state, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in 448 ultra-endurance mountain race finishers divided into three groups according to race length (less than 45 km, 45–90 km, and greater than 90 km), using a questionnaire. Results: Higher performance in ultra-endurance mountain races was associated with better oral health status and higher accumulative altitude covered per week as well as higher positive accumulative change of altitude per week during training. In longer distance races, experience, a larger volume of training, and better hydration/nutrition prior to the competition were associated with better performance. Conclusions: Ultra-endurance mountain athletes competing in longer races (>90 km) have more experience and follow harder training schedules compared with athletes competing in shorter distances. In longer races, a larger fluid intake before the competition was the single best predictor of performance. For races between 45 and 90 km, training intensity and volume were key predictors of performance, and for races below 45 km, oral health status was a key predictor of performance. Psychological factors previously reported as ultra-endurance mountain race performance predictors were inconsistent or failed to predict the performance of athletes in the present research

The impact of nationality on the psychophysiological stress response and academic fulfilment in the final degree dissertation

The aims of this study were: i. to analyze the effect of nationality on the psychophysiological stress response of physiotherapy last year students in their final degree dissertations; and ii. to analyze the relationship between the stress response and academic results according to nationality. We evaluated the autonomic stress response, cortical arousal, distress subjective perception, and objective and subjective academic fulfilment in Spanish, Italian, and French physiotherapy students during their final degree dissertation. Results showed a large anticipatory anxiety response before the dissertation in the three student groups. Only the Spanish group showed an increased tendency in the habituation process, reducing the psychophysiological stress response during the dissertation, while the Italian and French groups maintained a large sympathetic activation until the end of the dissertation. Cortical arousal and subjective perception of distress were similar in the three nationalities. In addition, no correlation between academic fulfilment and autonomic modulation was found. We concluded that there was no nationality effect in the psychophysiological stress response of physiotherapy last year students in their final degree dissertation, all of them showing a large anticipatory anxiety response

Influence of Two Exercise Programs on Heart Rate Variability, Body Temperature, Central Nervous System Fatigue, and Cortical Arousal after a Heart Attack

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs’ benefits are overall consensual; however, during exercise, progressive physiological effects have not been studied yet in cardiac patients. Our study aims to analyze physiological parameters of thermography, heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, central nervous system (CNS) fatigue, and cortical arousal in heart attack patients (HAP) who belong to CR programs of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-intensity Continuous Training (MICT) compared to healthy participants. In this case control study, two HAP patients (both male, age 35 and 48, respectively) and two healthy people (both male, age 38 and 46, respectively) were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio to one of four groups: cardiac MICT, cardiac HIIT, control MICT, and control HIIT. The HIIT at _85–95% of peak heart rate (HR) was followed by a one-minute recovery interval at 40% peakHR, and MICT at _70–75% of peakHR. Outcome measurements included thermography, HRV, blood pressure, CNS fatigue, and cortical arousal; The HAP presents more than twice the CNS fatigue in MICT than control participants, but HIIT has almost the same CNS fatigue in HAP and control. In addition, both of the HAP groups presented higher temperatures in the chest. The HIIT protocol showed better physiological responses during exercise, compared to MICT in HAP

The Effect of Periodization on Training Program Adherence

The present research aimed to study the effect of three different training periodization (traditional, reverse, and free training) on the aerobic performance, motivation, and adherence of physically active athletes. We analysed the adherence to three different periodization training programs: traditional, reverse, and free training periodization on the adherence of amateur triathletes. For this aim, the individual adherence, motivation, and aerobic performance time and heart rate (in a 1000 m running test) were evaluated before and after the completion of the three different 8-week periodization programs. The level of adherence to the reverse periodization was significantly higher than in traditional and free training. The number of dropouts in reverse and traditional periodization was similar but lower than in the free training. Finally, neither of the periodization programs improved aerobic performance and reverse training periodization decreased heart rate of participants in a 1000 m running tes

Predição dos limiares de transição fisiológica em nadadores a partir da curva de esforço percebido durante teste incremental

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Raul OsieckiDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Física. Defesa : Curitiba, 19/02/2019Inclui referências: p.68-87Resumo: A identificação dos limiares de transição fisiológica, principalmente na natação, depende de métodos de difícil acesso e alto custo operacional, os quais dificultam a utilização e prescrição do treinamento para atletas de natação. Diversos estudos em diferentes modalidades têm investigado ferramentas para auxílio na identificação dos limiares transitórios por meio do limiar da percepção subjetiva de esforço. O objetivo do estudo é verificar a eficácia da utilização do limiar de percepção subjetiva de esforço na predição dos limiares de transição fisiológica - limiar de lactato - durante um teste progressivo em atletas de natação. Foram convidados a participarem do estudo 15 atletas do sexo masculino com valores médios de 16,26 ± 1,48 anos, peso 66,79 ± 9,34 kg, estatura 175,40 ± 7,84 cm e 9,67 ± 3,06 % de gordura, sendo eles nadadores com experiência em competições de nível estadual, nacional e internacional. Os atletas realizaram um protocolo de nº de 100m crawl em piscina de 25 metros onde a partir do seu melhor tempo de 100m (MT) foi acrescentado 25 segundos para o primeiro estimulo a ser nadado e os demais estímulos a partir do MT + 25 segundos tiveram um decréscimo de 4 segundos em cada estímulo até o atleta realizar seu MT, os atletas realizaram aproximadamente 8 estímulos todos com os intervalos em um tempo fixo de 2 minutos. Nos intervalos dos estímulos foram coletados as [La] e PSE pela escala de CR-10 de Borg. Foi utilizado o teste "t" de Student pareado para comparar as intensidades no LL e LPSE, a análise da relação entre os limiares foi feita através da correlação simples de Spearman e os gráficos de limites de concordância de Altman e Bland também foram utilizados para a análise de concordância entre os métodos, em todas as análises o nível de significância adotado foi de p ? 0.05. Os resultados mostraram que o LPSE e LL identificados pelo método Dmáx ocorreram em intensidades próximas sem diferença significativas para o tempo (p=0,54), velocidade (p=0,56), e % da intensidade no MT (p=0,21), foram encontrados valores de correlações fortes e moderada para as variáveis tempo (r=0,91), velocidade (r=0,93), e % da intensidade no MT (r=0,60) com diferenças significativas na correlação (p?0,05) e com concordância entre todas as variáveis. Os valores da [La] encontradas no LL foram de 4,30 ± 1,09 mmol.L-1 e os valores de PSE no LPSE foram de 4,84 ± 0,92 U.A. De acordo com o estudo o LPSE pode ser considerado um bom estimador do LL em atletas nadadores em um teste progressivo máximo em piscina e os valores das [La] e de PSE nos limiares neste estudo corroboram com os valores que a literatura descreve. Palavras-chave: Limiares de transição fisiológica, Percepção subjetiva de esforço, atletas de natação.Abstract: The identification of physiological transition thresholds, especially in swimming, depends on difficult access methods and high operational costs, which is hampered by the use and prescription of training for swimming athletes. Divers studies in different modalities have investigated tools to aid in the identification of transition thresholds through the threshold of the subjective perception effort. The objective of this study was to verify the efficacy of the use of the subjective perception threshold in the prediction of physiological transition thresholds - lactate threshold - during a progressive test in swimming athletes. Fifteen male athletes with mean values of 16.26 ± 1.48 years, weight 66.79 ± 9.34, height 175.40 ± 7.84 and body fat 9.67 ± 3.06% were invited to participate in the study, being they swimmers with experience in competitions of state, national and international level. The athletes performed a protocol of 100m crawl in a 25 meters pool where from their best time of 100m (MT) was added 25 seconds for the first stimulus to be swum and the other stimuli from the MT + 25 seconds had a decrease of 4 seconds in each stimulus until the athlete performed their MT, the athletes performed approximately 8 stimuli all with the intervals in a fixed time of 2 minutes. In the stimulus intervals the [La] and PSE were collected by the Borg CR-10 scale. The paired Student's t-test was used to compare the intensities in the LL and LPSE, the analysis of the relationship between the thresholds was done through Spearman's simple correlation and the Altman and Bland concordance limits graphs were also used for the agreement analysis between methods, in all analyzes the level of significance was p ? 0.05. The results showed that LPSE and LL identified by the Dmax method occurred at close intensities with no significant difference for time (p = 0.54), velocity (p = 0.56), and % of MT intensity (p = 0, 21), strong and moderate correlations were found for time (r = 0.91), velocity (r = 0.93), and% of MT intensity (r = 0.60) with significant differences in correlation (p?0.05) and concordance among all variables. The values of [La] found in the LL were 4.30 ± 1.09 mmol.L-1 and the PSE values in the LPSE were 4.84 ± 0.92 U.A. According to the study the LPSE can be considered a good estimator of LL in swimmers in a maximum progressive pool test and the values of [La] and PSE in the thresholds in this test corroborate with the literature describes. Key words: Physiological transition thresholds, Subjective effort perception, swimming athletes

Comparação da velocidade do limiar de lactato em testes máximo, progressivo, velocidade crítica e ritmo continuado auto selecionado em praticantes de natação

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Raul OsieckiTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Física. Defesa : Curitiba, 28/03/2023Inclui referências: p. 74-86Resumo: A identificação do limiar de lactato é um indicador de grande importância na prescrição e controle de carga no treinamento, esse indicador depende de métodos de difícil acesso e alto custo operacional, os quais dificultam a utilização de um método no meio prático para nadadores de diferentes níveis. Para tanto utilizar um teste prático, não invasivo e submáximo pode ser uma ferramenta para identificação do limiar de lactato na natação. O objetivo do estudo foi a identificação e comparação da velocidade de ocorrência do limiar de lactato em teste progressivo, velocidade crítica (VC) e testes de ritmo contínuo auto selecionado em atletas recreacionais de natação. Foram recrutados 15 nadadores do sexo masculino de idade 29,73 ± 5,32 anos. Os participantes realizaram três protocolos de teste para identificação das velocidades no limiar de lactato; teste progressivo (LL Dmáx) (8x100m crawl progressivo), velocidade crítica (3x200m crawl) e teste de ritmo contínuo auto selecionado (10 minutos em ritmo de aquecimento (RAA), 5 minutos a ritmo moderado (RMA) e 4 minutos a ritmo forte auto selecionado (RFA)). Como resultado principal, a velocidade do teste de ritmo contínuo auto selecionado ((RFA) 1,16 ± 0,14 m/s) foi identificada nas mesmas velocidades do teste progressivo (Dmáx La) (1,28 ± 0,20 m/s) e teste de VC (1,14 ± 0,13 m/s) (p0.05); no statistically significant differences were found in the variables [La] and subjective perception of exertion (PSE) between the self-selected rhythm test ([La] 6.98 ± 1.35 Mmol; PSE 6.10 ± 0.89 U.A.), progressive test ([La] 7.31 ± 1.66 Mmol; PSE 5.95 ± 1.95 U.A.) and VC ([La] 6.70 ± 1.60 Mmol; PSE 5.46 ± 0.82 U.A.). Very high correlation with significance (p<0.00) was found in LL velocity in Dmax and VC (r=0.86) and Dmax and RFA (r=0.87); and almost perfect correlation with significance between VC and RFA (r=0.96). In the PSE variable, a small, non-significant correlation was found for LT in Dmax and VC (r=0.28; p=0.30); and negligible correlation in Dmax and RFA (r=-0.07; p=0.78) and VC and RFA (r=0.03; p=0.71). The variable [La] a moderate correlation was found with significance in LL Dmax and VC (r=0.56; p=0.02); and small correlations without significance in LL Dmax and RFA (r=011; p=0.78); and VC and RFA (r=-0.08; p=0.75). According to Bland and Altman analysis, a low bias and standard deviation (LOA) were found between the methods for the variable speed among the methods, speed at the Dmáx and VC LL (0.13; LOA 0.35 and -0.08); Dmáx and RFA (0.11; LOA 0.32 and -0.08) and LL VC and RFA (-0.01; LOA 0.06 and -0.10). The relationship between the RFA velocity performed by the predicted RFA velocity was R²= 0.93 with a significant p-value (p<0.01) and for the predicted Dmáx velocity performed by the Dmáx velocity was R²= 0.74 with significance (p<0.001). It can be concluded that the self-selected continuous rhythm protocol, with a duration of 20 minutes, shows promise in identifying the lactate threshold (LL) for swimmers, as their speeds showed no significant differences and presented high correlation in different protocols (Dmáx and VC)

Use of Biotechnology Devices to Analyse Fatigue Process in Swimming Training

The aim of the present research was to analyze the acute psycho-physiological response during a high intensity interval training (HIIT) session of trained swimmers. We analyzed blood lactate concentration, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), arms isometric strength, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and cortical arousal before and after a HIIT session in 14 trained swimmers (16.2 ± 2.6 years 169.1 ± 10.2 cm 61.3 ± 9.9 kg). HIIT session consisted in: 4 × 10 m tethered swimming resting 90 s between sets, 3 min rest, 16 × 25 m maximum speed swimming resting 30 s between sets. Blood lactate concentration, cortical arousal, and rating of perceived exertion significantly increased (p < 0.05) after HIIT. HRV parameters significantly decreased after HIIT, showing an increase in sympathetic nervous system modulation. Results obtained showed the high impact of HIIT sessions on the swimmer’s organism, which may be the cause of adaptation in this low volume training sessions.Sin financiación2.098 JCR (2017) Q2, 46/94 Health Care Sciences and Services; Q3, 13/25 Medical Informatics0.619 SJR (2017) Q2, 27/190 Health Informatics, 12/64 Health Information Management, 83/1258 Information Systems, 1087/2878 Medicine (miscellaneous)No data IDR 2017UE

Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness

Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness has been a successful Special Issue, which addressed novel topics in any subject related to sports medicine, physical fitness, and human movement. The article collection was able to positively evaluate three systematic reviews, nineteen original articles, and one brief report. These encompassed a broad range of topics ranging from accident kinematics, soccer monitoring, children’s physical evaluation, adapted physical activity, physical evaluation for people with intellectual disabilities, performance analysis in rowers, ultramarathon racers, karateka’s, rugby players, volleyball and basketball players, and cross-fit athletes, and also aspects related to biomechanics, fatigue and injury prevention in racing motorcycle riders, gymnasts, and cyclists.These scientific contributions within the field of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness broaden the understanding of specific aspects of each analyzed discipline.It has been a pleasure for the Editorial Team to have served the International Journal Of Environmental Research and Public Health