The Responses of Physiological Stress during Table Tennis Competition in Elite Female Players

Abstract

Stress is inevitable in competitive sports. Table tennis in the world known as a fastest ball game that requires attention and control stress. The main purpose of this study was investigation of physiological stress responses in elite table tennis players during competition. 16 female table tennis players (age average of 18.7 +/- 3.8, height average of 161.6 +/- 3.4 cm and weight average of 50.1 +/- 4.2 kg) that participating in elective national team selected. During 8 competitive racing, salivary levels of Cortisol (C), testosterone (T) and Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) at rest, 60 and 30 minutes before and 60 and 30 minutes after racing were measured through saliva by enzymatic methods (ELISA). Data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. The findings presented that Cortisol level in loser player was significantly increased than winner player (p<0.05); while there was no significant difference in testosterone and sIgA levels (p>0.05). Also significant difference in salivary testosterone, Cortisol and sIgA periods of 60 and 30 minutes before and after competition observed in the group of winners and losers than rest(p<0.05). Table tennis competition puts high stress on young players, that probably these indicators affect the performance table tennis players. Cortisol as an indicator of stress has an important effect on losers than winners.