Association between Pressure Pain Sensitivity, Performance stability and Overall Performance in Olympic Sailors

Soeren Ballegaard,Pernille Bjorn Petersen

doi:10.4172/2161-0673.1000177

Abstract

Background: During sports competitions, the performance of athletes may be negatively affected by persistent stress and autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, both of which can be assessed by pressure pain sensitivity (PPS) at the chest bone. Objectives: To test the association between PPS and sports performance; does a reduction of an elevated PPS improve performance stability and overall performance in Olympic sailors? Methods: The case study included two male athletes during eight months of observation prior to and during Olympic sailing. The daily PPS self-measurements served as feedback guide for persistent stress and ANS dysfunction. Performance stability, overall performance and PPS measure were assessed at three intervals. Results: At baseline, the median PPS was 83, the performance stability was inferior to the mean top 10 competitors, and the overall performance was rank eight. During the observation period, PPS, performance stability and overall performance improved incrementally and significantly. This eventually led the sailors to achieve an Olympic Gold. The PPS, performance stability, and overall performance were all internally closely associated (correlation coefficients: r > 0.70; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The study may suggest a link between persistent stress and ANS dysfunction as assessed by PPS on one side and performance stability and overall performance on the other side.

Highlights

In sports, stress can either be pleasant or unpleasant and can improve or deteriorate the performance of athletes depending on the individual’s balance between perceptions and expectations of the challenge and the resources available
The study may suggest a link between persistent stress and autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction as assessed by pressure pain sensitivity (PPS) on one side and performance stability and overall performance on the other side
Transient stress is the physiological state of preparedness, which is automatically induced in the body through neural/hormonal signals from the brain when the athlete perceives or anticipates a challenge

Summary

Introduction

Stress can either be pleasant or unpleasant and can improve or deteriorate the performance of athletes depending on the individual’s balance between perceptions and expectations of the challenge and the resources available. Transient stress is the physiological state of preparedness, which is automatically induced in the body through neural/hormonal signals from the brain when the athlete perceives or anticipates a challenge. It increases the performance through a broad range of physiological changes. Persistent stress represents prolonged exposure to the same processes as in transient stress but may be regarded as a dysfunction of the brain exemplified by function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The performance of athletes may be negatively affected by persistent stress and autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, both of which can be assessed by pressure pain sensitivity (PPS) at the chest bone

Objectives

Methods

Results