It is currently unknown whether mental fatigue occurs throughout a WPT competition and whether consecutive matches affect how mentally fatiguing a match is perceived to be. The objective was to quantify the effects of successive professional matches on mental fatigue. A total of 14 professional players (9 males, Mage = 25, 5 females, Mage = 21) participated during qualified rounds of a WPT with three eliminatory matches: Match 1 (morning) and 2 (afternoon) on day 1 (n = 14), Match 3 (morning) on day 2 (n = 6). Mental fatigue and motivation, with scales, and reaction time, with a 3-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test, were measured at two time intervals (pre and post matches (<30 min)). To analyze the evolution of these variables, a two-way repeated measures MANOVA was performed. An increase in mental fatigue from pre- to post-matches was observed (p < 0.01), with an accumulation of mental fatigue between matches played on day 1 (p < 0.01), maximizing the mental fatigue perceived during Match 2. Padel matches impair motivation and reaction time (p = 0.04), without effects between successive matches, which reinforced the idea that mental fatigue may impair padel performance (i.e., reaction time). Coaches should use training interventions and recovery strategies to counteract/avoid the accumulation of mental fatigue during professional tournaments.

Balance tests are commonly used in clinical practice with applicability in injury prevention and return to sport decisions. While most sports injuries occur in a changing environment where reacting to a non-planned stimulus is of great importance, these balance tests only evaluate pre-planned movements without taking these dynamics environmental aspects into account. Therefore, the goal of this paper was to develop a clinician-friendly test that respects these contextual interactions and to describe the test protocol of an adapted Y-balance test that includes environmental perception and decision-making. Within the theoretical construct of balance and adaptability, balance errors were selected as outcome measures for balance ability and, visuomotor reaction time and accuracy are selected as outcome measures for adaptability. A reactive balance task was developed and described using the Y-balance test for the balance component, while the FitLight training systemTM was chosen for the environmental perception and decision-making component of the test. This paper describes the test protocol of a reactive balance test as an adapted Y-balance test. The LED-lights of the FitLight training systemTM are placed at 80% of the maximal reach distance for each axis along the Y-Balance test kitTM. To induce cognitive load within the visuomotor task, colours were fixed to a corresponding axis, and both the order of the visual stimuli as the interstimulus time were randomised to integrate environmental perception and decision-making. The reactive balance test is a functional test that allows clinicians to score balance ability and athlete adaptability easily.

Purpose: Although many studies have demonstrated that prolonged cognitive load can impair subsequent cognitive and physical performance, commonly described as mental fatigue, more recent findings suggest that the relationship is more nuanced. Moreover, significant heterogeneity between different smaller studies makes it difficult to summarize definitive conclusions. The aim of the present study was to provide a more robust examination of the detrimental effects of sustained cognitive demands on cognitive and physical performance fatigability using a large sample within a controlled environment. Methods: One hundred seventeen participants (57 female; 32 ± 9 yr) were included in this randomized counterbalanced crossover experiment (NCT05576935) consisting of familiarization, intervention (45-min individualized Stroop task), and control (45-min self-chosen documentary) sessions. Performance was evaluated using a 6-min GoNoGo task and a 20-min cycling time trial. Multiple secondary outcomes, such as rate of perceived exertion (RPE), feelings of fatigue, and motivation, were incorporated to explore their relationship to possible behavioral effects. Results: There was a significant worsening of GoNoGo reaction time between conditions ( P < 0.001; η _p ² = 0.07). A trend toward significance was found regarding the negative influence of the Stroop task on time trial distance ( P = 0.059; d = 0.20), which was linked to a significant decrease in cadence ( P = 0.042; d = 0.22) in the intervention condition. Moreover, the feelings of physical fatigue ( P < 0.001; η _p ² = 0.01), mental fatigue ( P < 0.001; r = 0.37–0.47), and RPE ( P = 0.002; η _p ² = 0.01) remained higher during the time trial in the intervention condition compared with the control condition. Conclusions: In the present study, prolonged cognitive effort impaired specific cognitive and physical performance outcomes, consistent with the characteristics of mental fatigue. Secondary outcomes show an important role for the feeling of fatigue in the determination of physical performance.

Mental Fatigue (MF) has been associated with reduced physical performance but the mechanisms underlying this result are unclear. A reduction in excitability of the corticomotor system is a way mental fatigue could negatively impact physical performance. Carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse (MR) has been shown to increase corticomotor excitability. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if CHO MR impacts corticomotor excitability after MF. METHODS: Fifteen subjects (nine females, six males; age = 23 ± 1 years; height = 171 ± 2 cm; body mass = 69 ± 3 kg; BMI = 23.8 ± 0.7) completed two sessions under different MR conditions (Placebo (PLAC), 6.4% glucose (CHO)) separated by at least 48 h and applied in a double-blinded randomized fashion. Motor-evoked potential (MEP) of the left first dorsal interosseous (FDI) was determined by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before and after MF. Perceived MF was recorded before and after the MF task using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: MF was greater following PLAC (+30.4 ± 4.0 mm) than CHO (+19.4 ± 3.9 mm) (p = 0.005). MEP was reduced more following PLAC (−16.6 ± 4.4%) than CHO (−3.7 ± 4.7%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CHO MR was successful at attenuating the reduction in corticomotor excitability after MF. Carbohydrate mouth rinse may be a valuable tool at combating the negative consequences of mental fatigue.