During tournaments, team sport athletes are exposed to high physical loads due to a large number of games played within a few days. To perform well and prevent injuries, recovery in between these games is crucial. To monitor the recovery kinetics the Total Quality of Recovery (TQR) is suggested as a practical and useful tool (Kentta et al, 1998). The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility and sensitivity of the TQR as a recovery monitoring tool during a 3-day floorball tournament. Methods Eleven elite Dutch female floorball athletes (age:24.3±4.8, length:171.5±9.1, weight:67.6±8.1) participated in a 3-day tournament. Their recovery was monitored with the TQR scale (6-20) (Kentta et al, 1998). All athletes were asked to rate their recovery each morning and every two hours including;1 hour prior to the game (pre-game), immediately after the game (post-game) and 2 hours post-game. Comparisons were made for the TQR at the beginning and end of the tournament as well as pre- vs. post-game.
Introduction: Strenuous physical stress induces a range of physiological responses, the extent depending, among others, on the nature and severity of the exercise, a person’s training level and overall physical resilience. This principle can also be used in an experimental set-up by measuring time-dependent changes in biomarkers for physiological processes. In a previous report, we described the effects of workload delivered on a bicycle ergometer on intestinal functionality. As a follow-up, we here describe an analysis of the kinetics of various other biomarkers. Aim: To analyse the time-dependent changes of 34 markers for different metabolic and immunological processes, comparing four different exercise protocols and a rest protocol. Methods: After determining individual maximum workloads, 15 healthy male participants (20–35 years) started with a rest protocol and subsequently performed (in a cross-over design with 1-week wash-out) four exercise protocols of 1-h duration at different intensities: 70% Wmax in a hydrated and a mildly dehydrated state, 50% Wmax and intermittent 85/55% Wmax in blocks of 2 min. Perceived exertion was monitored using the Borg’ Rating of Perceived Exertion scale. Blood samples were collected both before and during exercise, and at various timepoints up to 24 h afterward. Data was analyzed using a multilevel mixed linear model with multiple test correction. Results: Kinetic changes of various biomarkers were exercise-intensity-dependent. Biomarkers included parameters indicative of metabolic activity (e.g., creatinine, bicarbonate), immunological and hematological functionality (e.g., leukocytes, hemoglobin) and intestinal physiology (citrulline, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, and zonulin). In general, responses to high intensity exercise of 70% Wmax and intermittent exercise i.e., 55/85% Wmax were more pronounced compared to exercise at 50% Wmax. Conclusion: High (70 and 55/85% Wmax) and moderate (50% Wmax) intensity exercise in a bicycle ergometer test produce different time-dependent changes in a broad range of parameters indicative of metabolic activity, immunological and hematological functionality and intestinal physiology. These parameters may be considered biomarkers of homeostatic resilience. Mild dehydration intensifies these time-related changes. Moderate intensity exercise of 50% Wmax shows sufficient physiological and immunological responses and can be employed to test the health condition of less fit individuals.
The data of this study indicate that the acetate recovery factor, used in stable isotope research, needs to be deteremined in every subject, under similar conditions as used for the tracer-derived determination of substrate oxidation.
