Assessment of Physiological Profiles of 2022 Asia Cup Winning National Sri Lankan Netball Team Using Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) as The Gold Standard

Abstract

Using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in a laboratory setting is considered the gold standard in evaluating physiological fitness. This allows sports scientists to not only measure the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2Max) but to get an insight into the overall cardiopulmonary fitness of an athlete. Despite winning the Asian netball cup in 2022 and getting qualified to take part in the netball world cup no such testing has ever been conducted on the national netball pool of Sri Lanka up to this study, leading to lack of physiological norms when determining cut off points in the selection process of the players into the national team. With this background we aim to conduct Physiological testing, using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to establish these benchmarks and norms for physiological fitness for Sri Lankan national netballers. All 13 members of the 2022 Asia cup winning national netball pool of Sri Lanka, who have participated in at least 10 tournaments/matches within the last 6 months was included in the study. All CPET was conducted in the morning and in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment. Bruce protocol will be used to carry out the CPET. All the netball players who conducted CPET achieved more than 80% of their peak heart rate indicating a maximum effort. Average peak VO2 value of our study was 29 mil/min/kg. The highest VO2 values were obtained by C players and GD players. There was a significant difference of VO2 values between C,GD and GS players. Despite the relatively low overall VO2 max values most of the players apart from GS achieved more than 90% of their predicated VO2 (VO2/kg predicted%) values. GA achieved more than 80% of their predicted VO2. Oxygen delivery to muscle was more than 100% of the predicated among all the players except GS. (C-Centre, GA-Goal Attack, GD-Goal Defence, GK-Goalkeeper, GS-Goal Shooter, WA-Wing Attack, WD-Wing Defence). Although our sample archived relatively low overall VO2 max values compared to western standards, most of the players apart from GS achieved more than 90% of their predicated VO2 values, with GA achieving more than 80% of their predicted. A statically significant correlation was observed between oxygen delivery to muscle at anaerobic threshold.