Analysis of changes in heart rate variability before and after a table tennis match depending on the outcome

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare heart rate variability (HRV) indices before and after a table tennis match, depending in match result. HRV indices were measured before (PRE) and after (POST) match periods to 21 table tennis players (21.86 ± 8.34 yr) in 30 matches. No significant differences were found neither in PRE nor in POST measures comparing winners and losers. A significantly lower value (p < 0.05) was found in mean of RR intervals (mean RR), standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN), the natural logarithm transform of the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (LnRMSSD), relative number of successive RR interval pairs that differ more than 50 ms (pNN50), cross (SD1) and longitudinal (SD2) axis of Poincaré plot comparing POST values with PRE values. Nevertheless, low frequency index expressed in absolute power (LF Power) and high frequency indices expressed in absolute power (HF power) and normalised power (HF Power) showed different trends depending on the results (p < 0.05). The obtained results show a HRV decrease after table tennis match regardless the match result, in both time domain and non-linear indices. However, frequency domain indices show a different trend depending on the match outcome.