Effect of a Goalball Competition on Neuromuscular, Physiological and Game Technical Performance Parameters

This study investigated the neuromuscular, physiological and game technical performance responses induced by a simulated goalball competition. Ten male goalball players underwent neuromuscular assessments of isometric maximal voluntary contractions and the Twitch Interpolation technique, blood lactate concentration and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), before and after three games. Heart rate (HR) was recorded at rest and during all games, which were filmed to enable further analysis of the game technical performance. Significant decreases of peak force (402 ± 132 N to 359 ± 80 N) and percentage of voluntary activation (84 ± 13% to 73 ± 20%) were observed after the second game. The blood lactate concentration increased significantly in relation to rest (~ 1.8 mM higher), but it was similar in all games. The predominant HR range in all games was 130 bpm, whereas the main intensity was that corresponding to the zone between 65 and 85% of the maximum HR. RPE was significantly correlated with frequency of throws (r = -.58) and peak heart rate during the game with recovery time (r = -.63). This study demonstrated that a simulated goalball competition induced significant fatigue due to central alterations. In addition, the intensity of the game is predominantly moderate, and the athlete’s participation seems to be dependent on RPE and the peak HR during the game.