DefinePK

Abstract

Objective: To explore the early warning signals for exercise-induced fatigue in athletes of this category in China by analyzing the values and change rates of fatigue index, with monitoring indicators as the main focus.
Methodology: This was a retrospective study. In 175 Chinese winter athletes in technical winter events such as figure skating, snowboarding big air and slopestyle, ski jumping, and Nordic combined between February 2023 to December 2023 were selected, including 85 males and 90 females, to monitor the values or change rates of early warning indicators for exercise-induced fatigue.
Results: In the 175 national team athletes of technical winter events, the level of salivary testosterone was increased and the level of salivary cortisol was decreased in the excellent group compared with those in the ordinary group, with no significant differences in other salivary biomarkers between the two groups(P>0.05); there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in salivary IgA level between the negative and positive athletes classified by “consecutive 3-day Borg index change rate”, with a significantly lower concentration in the positive athletes; there were statistically significant differences in salivary cortisol, T/C ratio, CK, CKMB, IgA, and α-amylase concentrations between the negative and positive athletes classified by “consecutive five and seven day mean Borg index change rate”.
Conclusion: This novel high-sensitivity and accurate saliva testing may capture stable and specific changes in fatigue indicators, and serve as an early warning for the occurrence of exercise-induced fatigue, effectively preventing athletes from overtraining and related sports injuries.