Individual Effect Of Post-Activation Performance Enhancement After A Re-Warm-Up: Statistically Not Significant But Clinically Meaningful.

Abstract

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a simple post-activation performance enhancement [PAPE] re-warm-up on performance. The secondly purpose was to examine individual responses to PAPE. METHODS: Twenty-eight sub-elite swimmers (males, N = 16; females, N = 12) underwent a randomized counterbalanced testing regimen (on different days): 1) an experimental training session (TS) consisted of a standard 900 m warm-up followed by a 19 minute passive rest. Thereafter, participants performed the PAPE condition for 60s, and then underwent a 10 min passive rest followed by a 50 m sprint. In the control condition [C] subjects simply sat on a chair for 30 min and then performed the 50 m maximal swim. Performance [time trial] and ratings of perceived exertion [RPE] were collected. The uncertainty in the effect of PAPE on competitive swimming performance was calculated according to the smallest worthwhile change [SWC] and interpreted categorically as “Responders” and “Non-Responders.” RESULTS: Overall, the PAPE stimulus did not demonstrate a significant effect on the 50 m swimming performance [t = -1.850; p = 0.075; MD = -0.17 seconds (0.60%)] and the post-exercise RPE [t = -0.679; p = 0.503; MD = 0.14 (1.86%)]. However, 17 of the 28 swimmers [61%; MD = -1.62%] experienced improvements in performance greater than the SWC. Nine swimmers [32%; MD = 1.2%] responded negatively, while two swimmers [7%; MD = 0.02%] had no change. Nine swimmers [32%; MD = -2.40%] exceeded the threshold of a clinically meaningful effect. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that 60s of PAPE stimulus elicited differential effect with clinically meaningful improvements on the 50 m freestyle sprint performance in most of the swimmers (61%).