Exercise, Fatigue, Sport Physiology
Conditions
Keywords
basketball, Yo-Yo test, High-Intensity Interval Exercise, Reaction Time, Energy Metabolism, Free Fatty Acids, Exercise-Induced Fatigue, Female Athletes
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate the effects of interval exercise on metabolic and inflammatory responses, energy substrate utilization, and fatigue in trained female basketball players. High-intensity intermittent exercise is a key component of basketball performance and induces substantial metabolic and physiological stress. However, the acute relationships between exercise-induced metabolic changes, inflammatory responses, substrate utilization, and fatigue in female basketball players remain insufficiently understood. In this prospective interventional study, eligible female basketball players will complete a standardized interval exercise protocol designed to replicate the physiological demands of competitive basketball. Physiological, biochemical, and perceptual measurements will be collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and during recovery. Primary outcomes include changes in metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, energy substrate utilization, and fatigue-related responses. Secondary outcomes include selected physiological and performance-related variables associated with recovery from high-intensity interval exercise. The findings of this study will improve the understanding of the physiological responses to interval exercise in female basketball players and may contribute to the development of evidence-based training and recovery strategies aimed at optimizing performance and athlete health.
Detailed description
High-intensity intermittent exercise is a fundamental component of basketball and is characterized by repeated bouts of sprinting, jumping, rapid changes of direction, and brief recovery periods. This type of exercise places substantial demands on both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems and induces complex metabolic and inflammatory responses. Although numerous studies have investigated the physiological effects of high-intensity exercise, the interactions among exercise-induced inflammation, metabolic regulation, energy substrate utilization, and fatigue in female basketball players remain insufficiently understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute effects of basketball-specific interval exercise on metabolic and inflammatory responses, energy substrate utilization, and psychophysiological fatigue in trained female basketball players. The exercise stimulus will consist of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), a validated field test that closely simulates the intermittent high-intensity demands of competitive basketball by requiring shuttle runs interspersed with short active recovery periods. Participants will attend a single experimental session consisting of baseline assessments, completion of a standardized interval exercise protocol, and follow-up assessments during the early recovery period. Biological samples, physiological measurements, and fatigue assessments will be obtained at predefined time points before exercise, immediately after exercise, and one hour after exercise. Laboratory analyses will evaluate selected inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers together with indicators of energy substrate utilization. In addition, subjective fatigue and neuromotor performance will be assessed to characterize both peripheral and central aspects of exercise-induced fatigue. To minimize potential confounding factors, participants will follow standardized pre-test instructions regarding physical activity, alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and nutritional preparation before testing. Nutritional intake and anthropometric characteristics will also be documented to support the interpretation of physiological responses. By integrating biochemical, metabolic, physiological, and psychophysiological measurements within a basketball-specific exercise model, this study aims to improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying acute responses to high-intensity intermittent exercise in female athletes. The findings may contribute to evidence-based strategies for monitoring training load, optimizing recovery, and improving performance in women's basketball and other intermittent team sports.
Interventions
OTHERYo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1)
The intervention consists of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), a standardized maximal intermittent field exercise test designed to reproduce the physiological demands of intermittent team sports such as basketball. Participants perform repeated 20-meter shuttle runs at progressively increasing speeds, guided by audio signals, with 10-second active recovery periods between running bouts. The test continues until volitional exhaustion or until the participant is unable to maintain the required running pace according to the test protocol. The Yo-Yo IR1 is used to induce acute physiological stress for the assessment of metabolic, inflammatory, and fatigue-related responses.
Sponsors
Poznan University of Physical Education
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
All participants will undergo the same exercise intervention consisting of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1). Repeated assessments will be performed before exercise, immediately after exercise, and one hour after exercise. The protocol is used to induce acute physiological stress and to evaluate metabolic, inflammatory, and fatigue-related responses associated with high-intensity intermittent exercise.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
16 Years to 22 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Female, aged 16-22 years. * Regular participation in organized basketball training. * Current medical clearance for sports participation. * No contraindications to high-intensity physical exercise. * Willingness and ability to provide written informed consent (and parental/legal guardian consent where required for minors). * Willingness to comply with all study procedures. * Menstrual cycle phase will be recorded for all participants and considered as a potential covariate in the statistical analyses.
Exclusion criteria
* Current musculoskeletal injury or any condition preventing maximal exercise. * Metabolic, cardiovascular, inflammatory, or other chronic diseases affecting exercise capacity or study outcomes. * Current use of anti-inflammatory medications. * Use of supplements or substances that may influence the measured metabolic or inflammatory parameters. * Refusal to undergo blood sampling. * Failure to comply with pre-test instructions (e.g., dietary or exercise restrictions).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately after exercise, and 1 hour after exercise. | Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration will be measured to assess the acute inflammatory response induced by the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1). The outcome will be expressed as the change in IL-6 concentration across the predefined assessment time points. |
| Change in Blood Lactate Concentration | Baseline and immediately after exercise. | Blood lactate concentration measured from capillary blood as an indicator of anaerobic metabolism following high-intensity intermittent exercise. |
| Change in reaction time | Baseline and immediately post-exercise. | Visual reaction time will be assessed as an indicator of neuromotor performance and central fatigue. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in serum-free fatty acid concentration | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, and 1 hour post-exercise | Serum free fatty acid concentration will be measured from venous blood samples to evaluate exercise-induced lipid mobilization. |
| Change in blood glucose concentration | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, and 1 hour post-exercise | Blood glucose concentration will be measured using a portable glucometer with disposable test strips. |
| Change in serum insulin concentration | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, and 1 hour post-exercise | Serum insulin concentration will be measured to assess hormonal regulation of glucose metabolism. |
| Change in Rating of Perceived Exertion (Borg Scale) | Immediately after exercise completion (within 5 minutes). | Subjective perception of exercise intensity will be assessed using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale. Total scores range from 6 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater perceived exertion during exercise. |
| Change in mood state assessed by Profile of Mood States (POMS) | Before exercise. | Mood state will be assessed using the validated Profile of Mood States questionnaire. Total scores range from 0 to 260, with higher scores indicating greater mood disturbance and psychological distress. |
Countries
Poland
Contacts
CONTACTAnna Kasperska, PhD
CONTACTAgnieszka Basta
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAnna Kasperska, PhD
Poznań University of Physical Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland;
Outcome results
None listed