Neuromuscular and cardiovascular fatigue analysis after competing in a mountain marathon

Abstract

The aims of this study were to quantify the physiological responses as well as the internal load of runners when performing a mountain marathon, to describe the variation of the neuromuscular and cardiovascular performance of runners before and 24 h after a mountain marathon and to analyze the association between the variation in the neuromuscular or cardiovascular performance and the physiological parameters, internal load and sports performance obtained in competition. In this study participated 15 national category mountain runners (36.51 ± 6.78 years). One week before (PRE) and 24 h later (POST) of doing a mountain marathon, the basal heart rate (HRB), the half squat maximum execution speed (HSvel), the vertical jump ability using the Abakalov (ABK) and Drop Jump (DJ), and a treadmill test to measure cardiovascular capacity were performed. From a neuromuscular point of view, although the differences were not significant (p > 0.05), the mountain runners obtained a worse performance in the ABK POST with respect to the PRE values (ES = -0.64 to -0.65, moderate). In the DJ flight time (DJTV), height (DJALT), power (DJPOT) and reactive force index (DJRSI) a significant performance decrement was observed (p < 0.05 or < 0.01, ES = - 0.76 to -1.50, moderate to large) in the POST with respect to the PRE. No significant decrease was observed MSvel after finishing the mountain marathon with respect to the PRE values (p > 0.05, TE = -0.41, s). With respect to the cardiovascular capacity test, despite the fact that the time of exhaustion (Tagot) in the laboratory test there was no significant decrease (p > 0.05, ES = -0.16), a lower maximum heart rate (HRmax) was observed in the POST (p < 0.05, ES = -1.32, large). The results obtained in this study show the neuromuscular fatigue (DJ test) and a decrease in the ability to reach HRmax 24 h after a mountain marathon.