Cardiorespiratory Responses of Professional Male Volleyball and Basketball Players to Harvard Step Test

Abstract

Maximal rate of oxygen uptake is one of the most commonly measured parameters in basic and physiological sciences and it is frequently used to indicate the cardio-respiratory fitness of an individual. The purpose of this study was to compare the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and the cardio-respiratory responses of professional volleyball and basketball players to Harvard step test.Twenty-five volleyball players of mean age, height and weight of 26.16yrs, 1.80m, and 80.20kg and twenty-five basketball players of mean age, height and weight as 25.32yrs, 1.88m, 86.48kg were selected through purposive sampling and they performed the exercise protocol for five minutes after which there blood pressure and heart rate (HR) responses were measured. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and rate pressure product (RPP) was also estimated from the blood pressure responses. The VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) was estimated using the equation; Fitness index (Short form) = (100 x test duration in seconds) divided by (5.5 x pulse count between 1 and 1.5), RPP was computed using the equation; HR x systolic blood pressure (SYS) and the MAP was calculated using; MAP = Pdiast+ 1/3(Psyst- Pdiast). Comparative analysis was done using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, inferential statistics of independent t-test and Pearson moment product correlation with alpha level of significance set at 0.05.Statistically significant differences were recorded between VO2 max of volleyball players; 39.07ml/kg/min, and basketball players 25.46ml/kg/min, while no statistically significant differences were recorded in their HR; 103.5bpm and 105.3bpm, SYS; 145.4mmHg and 136.7mmHg, diastolic blood pressure(DBP); 76.3mmHg and 74.7mmHg, RPP; 15200mmHg.bpm and 14548mmHg.bpm, MAP; 91.5mmHg and 89mmHg of professional basketball and volleyball players respectively. Positive significant correlations were recorded between the VO2max and RPP (p=0.001), MAP and RPP (p=0.02), MAP and SYS (p=0.00) of basketball players. A Positive significant correlation was recorded between the MAP and RPP (p=0.001), MAP and SYS (p=0.00) of volleyball players. A negative significant correlation was recorded between the VO2max and RPP (p= -0.8) of volleyball players. These data shows that volleyball players had higher VO2max than basketball players which implies that they have better cardio-respiratory endurance level. Frequent training among these athletes will help to reduce the incidence of detraining as this will invariably lead to decrease in aerobic capacity and cardio-respiratory fitness.