Investigation Of The Acute Effects Of Selected Treatments On Reaction Time And Hand Grip Strength In Kickboxers Aged 13-15 Years
Öz
Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the acute effects of some neurodynamic interventions (caffeine gum, Russian current (EMS), and nerve mobilization) on visual, auditory, mixed reaction times, and hand grip strength in 13-15 year old adolescent kickboxing athletes.
Method: The study was designed using a repeated measures-focused design. The sample consisted of 28 licensed kickboxing athletes (16 men, 12 women; age: 14.10 ± 0.83 years). Participants underwent the following treatments without knowing which method would be applied until the time of application: (1) control conditions (5-minute warm-up), (2) 10 minutes of caffeine gum after a 5-minute warm-up, (3) 10 minutes of Russian current application to the wrist flexors after a 5-minute warm-up, (4) 10 minutes of nerve mobilization exercises for the median and ulnar nerves after a 5-minute warm-up. After each session, reaction time was measured using a Lafayette hand reaction timer and personal strength was measured using a Takei hand dynamometer. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test (p<0.05).
Results: All intervention groups showed statistically significant improvement in all reaction time parameters and grip strength compared to the control group (p<0.001). Nerve mobilization was found to be significantly superior to the other two methods, demonstrating the highest performance in auditory and mixed reaction times (240.14 ± 21.01 ms and 244.17 ± 22.03 ms, respectively) and grip strength (26.16 ± 7.63 kg) (p<0.05). While there was no significant difference in nerve mobilization in visual reaction between Russian current (265.64 ± 25.55 ms) and visual response, both were more effective than caffeine gum (274.14 ± 32.13 ms).
Conclusion: In adolescent kickboxers, neural mobilization stands out as the most effective method for achieving acute performance enhancement, particularly in response speed to complex stimuli and hand strength. The Russian stream offers viable alternatives for visual reaction, while caffeine gum provides modest but significant improvements across all parameters. Integrating neural mobilization techniques into warm-up protocols may be beneficial for optimizing neuromuscular preparation in this age group.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Kaynakça
- American College of Sports Medicine. (2012). ACSM's resource manual for guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
- Belanger, Y. (2010). Electrophysical Agents: Evidence Behind Practice.
- Bircan, C., Senocak, O., Peker, O., Kaya, A., Tamc, S. A., Gulbahar, S., & Akalin, E. (2002). Ef” cacy of two forms of electrical stimulation in increasing quadriceps strength: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical rehabilitation, 16(2), 194-199. https://doi.org/10.1191/0269215502cr467.
- Bittencourt, J. V., Corrêa, L. A., Pagnez, M. A. M., do Rio, J. P. M., Telles, G. F., Mathieson, S., & Nogueira, L. A. C. (2024). Neural mobilisation effects in nerve function and nerve structure of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Plos one, 19(11), e0313025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313025.
- Cappelletti, S., Piacentino, D., Sani, G., Aromatario, M. (2015). Caffeine: cognitive and physical performance enhancer or psychoactive drug? Curr Neuropharmacol. Jan;13(1):71-88. https://doi.org/1010.2174/1570159X13666141210215655.
- Colquhoun, R.J., Gai, C.M., Aguilar, D., Bove, D., Dolan, J., Vargas, A.,, Couvillion K., Jenkins, N.D., Campbell, B.I. (2018). Training volume, not frequency, indicative of maximal strength adaptations to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res, 32: 1207-13. https://doi.org/ 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002414.
- Coppieters, M. W., & Butler, D. S. (2008). Do ‘sliders’ slide and ‘tensioners’ tension? An analysis of neurodynamic techniques and considerations regarding their application. Manual therapy, 13(3), 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2006.12.008.
- Ding, L., Liu, J., Yao, Y., Guo, L., Chen, B., Cao, Y., & Girard, O. (2025). Caffeinated chewing gum enhances maximal strength and muscular endurance during bench press and back squat exercises in resistance-trained men. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1540552. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1540552.
Ayrıntılar
Birincil Dil
İngilizce
Konular
Egzersiz Fizyolojisi
Bölüm
Araştırma Makalesi
Yazarlar
İnan Atış
*
0000-0002-9165-2666
Türkiye
Gökhan Yerlikaya
0000-0003-0086-6552
Türkiye
Tuba Zoroglu
0000-0003-1267-8882
Türkiye
Yayımlanma Tarihi
19 Mayıs 2026
Gönderilme Tarihi
16 Şubat 2026
Kabul Tarihi
4 Mayıs 2026
Yayımlandığı Sayı
Yıl 2026 Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2026