Placebo Effect: Influence on Repeated Intermittent Sprint Performance on Consecutive Days. Issue 7 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tolusso, Danilo V.; Laurent, C. Matthew; Fullenkamp, Adam M.; Tobar, David A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of strength and conditioning research. Volume 29:Issue 7(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: RPE -- recovery -- fatigue -- pain; Physical education and training -- Periodicals; Weight training -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Physical fitness -- Periodicals; 613.7
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000844
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1064-8011

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: Tolusso, DV, Laurent, CM, Fullenkamp, AM, and Tobar, DA. Placebo effect: influence on repeated intermittent sprint performance on consecutive days. J Strength Cond Res 29(7): 1915–1924, 2015—Despite the available literature addressing the placebo effect's role in mediating human performance, there is a paucity of research addressing the possibility of a placebo effect both within and between bouts of repeated sprint performance on consecutive days. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether the administration of a placebo influences recovery during sessions of intermittent sprinting. Ten subjects performed 4 repeated sprint tests under 2 different conditions; 2 while being administered a control beverage separated by 24 hours of recovery and the other 2 with a placebo beverage separated by 24 hours of recovery. Before each sprint test, subjects provided perceived recovery status (PRS). Ratings of perceived exertion were recorded within 5 seconds after each sprint. After each repeated sprint protocol, subjects were asked to provide a rating of perceived exertion (RPE), rate their pain, and provided a blood lactate sample. Power was recorded throughout each session from a nonmotorized treadmill to analyze changes in sprinting performance. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to determine significant differences in peak and mean power, PRS, RPE, pain, and blood lactate. The placebo trial produced significantly higher peak ( p < 0.001) and mean power ( p = 0.002) vs. the control in later sprints absent of any other significant difference in metabolic or perceptual strain ( p > 0.05). In conclusion, it seems that the administration of a placebo can attenuate the decline in performance as fatigue increases during repeated sprinting bouts.