No Neuromuscular Fatigue After A Doubles Pickleball Tournament

Understanding how neuromuscular fatigue affects pickleball players can help coaches develop more streamlined training strategies. Our previous research on neuromuscular fatigue after playing doubles pickleball, found no evidence of neuromuscular fatigue. However, match length and rest time were not controlled. In this study, we controlled match length and rest time between matches throughout tournament play. PURPOSE: The goal of this research project was to determine if playing doubles pickleball matches results in neuromuscular fatigue in males and females using a countermovement jump test (CMJ). METHODS: Healthy male and female pickleball players (16 females and 16 males, ages 22-74 years old) participated. Participants performed a set of warm-up CMJs: two jumps at 50% maximal perceived effort and two at 75% maximal perceived effort. Participants then performed four CMJs at maximal effort. After pre-tournament testing, participants played three rounds of four 10-minute matches, except for the last round which only consisted of three (11 matches total). A 20-minute break was given between rounds and 5-minute breaks between matches within a round. After the tournament, participants completed another set of CMJs with the same warm-up and maximum effort trials as the pre-test. We used an RM-ANOVA, with sex as a between-subjects variable, to examine the change in jump power from pre- to post-tournament. RESULTS: Peak relative propulsive power (PRPP) increased from pre-to-post-tournament jumps (p < 0.001 for time main effect, with large effect size, η2 = 0.671). Average PRPP for females (pre: 25.6 W/kg, post: 28.0 W/kg) and males (pre: 40.9 W/kg, post: 44.1 W/kg) increased by 2.4 W/kg and 3.2 W/kg respectively. There was no significant difference in the magnitude of change between males and females on average (p = 0.272). CONCLUSION: The CMJs performed after the tournaments showed that participants increased their jump power pre-to-post-tournament, implying that neuromuscular facilitation, not fatigue, occurred. Supported by: CSUMB Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity Competition Grant (#835).