Examination of Visual Reaction Times in Female Taekwondo Athletes After Fatigue

Abstract

Taekwondo is a combat sport characterized by high-intensity actions and rapid decision-making, making visual–motor reaction time an important component of performance. Despite its relevance, research examining reaction times under resting and fatigued conditions in young taekwondo athletes remains limited. The present study aimed to compare the visual–motor reaction times of female taekwondo athletes during resting and post-fatigue conditions. Seventeen healthy female athletes (age: 18.82 ± 1.13 years; height: 165.82 ± 5.35 cm; body weight: 57.18 ± 5.07 kg) voluntarily participated. Following a taekwondo-specific warm-up, visual–motor reaction tests were performed using the FitLight™ system (Fitlight Sports Corp., Canada) for both dominant and non-dominant hands, with three trials administered for each hand; the best score was used for analysis. Athletes then completed a fatigue protocol based on a validated taekwondo match simulation model, after which post-fatigue measurements were conducted ten minutes later. Reaction time data were analyzed using a 2×2 repeated-measures ANOVA. Findings revealed no significant differences between resting and post-fatigue reaction times, nor between dominant and non-dominant hands. These results suggest that acute fatigue induced by a taekwondo match simulation protocol may not substantially influence visual–motor reaction performance in young female taekwondo athletes.

Keywords

• Visual-Motor Reaction Time
• Fatigue
• Taekwondo

Yorgunluk Sonrası Kadın Taekwondo Sporcularının Görsel Reaksiyon Sürelerinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Taekwondo, yüksek yoğunluklu aksiyonlar ve hızlı karar verme süreçleriyle karakterize edilen bir dövüş sporudur; bu nedenle görsel–motor reaksiyon süresi performansın önemli bir bileşenidir. Bu önemine rağmen, genç taekwondo sporcularında dinlenik ve yorgunluk koşulları altında reaksiyon sürelerini inceleyen araştırmalar sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, kadın taekwondo sporcularının dinlenik ve yorgunluk sonrası koşullarda görsel–motor reaksiyon sürelerini karşılaştırmaktır. On yedi sağlıklı kadın sporcu (yaş: 18,82 ± 1,13 yıl; boy: 165,82 ± 5,35 cm; vücut ağırlığı: 57,18 ± 5,07 kg) gönüllü olarak çalışmaya katılmıştır. Taekwondo’ya özgü bir ısınma protokolünün ardından, baskın ve baskın olmayan el için FitLight™ sistemi (Fitlight Sports Corp., Kanada) kullanılarak görsel–motor reaksiyon testleri uygulanmış; her el için üç deneme yapılmış ve analizlerde en iyi skor kullanılmıştır. Daha sonra sporcular, geçerliliği kanıtlanmış bir taekwondo maç simülasyon modeline dayalı bir yorgunluk protokolünü tamamlamış ve yorgunluk sonrası ölçümler on dakika sonra gerçekleştirilmiştir. Reaksiyon süresi verileri 2×2 tekrarlı ölçümler varyans analizi (ANOVA) ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular, dinlenik ve yorgunluk sonrası reaksiyon süreleri arasında ve baskın ile baskın olmayan el arasında anlamlı bir fark olmadığını göstermiştir. Bu sonuçlar, taekwondo maç simülasyon protokolüyle oluşturulan akut yorgunluğun, genç kadın taekwondo sporcularında görsel–motor reaksiyon performansını önemli ölçüde etkilemeyebileceğini düşündürmektedir.

Keywords

• Görsel-Motor Reaksiyon Süresi
• Yorgunluk
• Taekwondo

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