Neuromuscular, metabolic and hormonal profiles of young tennis players and untrained boys

Abstract

This study compared the neuromuscular, metabolic and hormonal profiles of trained prepubescent tennis players and an untrained group. The boys in the experimental group (n = 9; mean age ± S.D. = 11.4 ± 0.5 years) had participated in tennis training for 2.3 ± 1.0 years and the boys in the control group (n = 9; mean age ± S.D. = 10.9 ± 0.4 years) were normal active volunteers. The tennis players were found to be physically more active than the controls when the comparison was made for either 1 year (4.9 ± 1.8 vs 2.6 ± 2.5 times per week; P<0.05) or for 1 week (3.4 + 1.2 vs 0.4 ± 0.5 times; P < 0.001) preceding the tests. Choice reaction time was significantly (P <0.01) shorter in the experimental group (258 ± 16 ms) than in the control group (344 + 81 ms). Dropping height in the best drop jump was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in the tennis players (0.46 + 0.19 m) than in the control boys (0.27 ± 0.10 m). The tennis players had significantly lower oxygen consumption at the ‘anaerobic threshold’ than the controls (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in serum hormone levels. The small differences that existed may have been caused by actice participation in sport by the tennis players.

Keywords:

• Neuromuscular profile
• metabolic profile
• hormonal profile
• prepubescent boys