Heart Rate Variability Differences by Match Phase and Outcome in Elite Male Finnish Padel Players

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Autonomic Neuroscience

Background:

• Competitive padel involves dynamic physiological demands.
• Understanding athlete responses is crucial for performance optimization.
• Heart rate variability (HRV) offers insights into autonomic nervous system function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze HRV changes in padel players across pre-match, during-match, and post-match phases.
• To compare physiological responses between winning and losing padel players.
• To assess the impact of match outcomes on athlete's autonomic regulation.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed HRV metrics (time, frequency, non-linear domains) in 11 high-level Finnish padel players.
• Recorded HRV for a minimum of five minutes at three match-related time points.
• Utilized data from 12 competitive padel matches under controlled conditions.

Main Results:

• Observed significant intra-match fluctuations in all HRV domains.
• Identified higher relative heart rate in losing players, suggesting increased physiological strain.
• Demonstrated distinct autonomic responses related to match outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Padel performance is associated with dynamic autonomic nervous system adjustments.
• HRV monitoring can reveal differences in physiological strain between winners and losers.
• Integrating HRV into training and recovery protocols can enhance athlete management.