Standardised computer-based reaction tests predict the sport-specific visuomotor speed and performance of young elite table tennis athletes. (2nd November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hülsdünker, Thorben; Ostermann, Martin; Mierau, Andreas
• Is Part Of: International journal of performance analysis in sport. Volume 19:Number 6(2019)
• Page Start: 953
• Page End: 970
• Publication Date: 2019-11-02
• Subjects: Sport -- brain -- performance -- vision -- EEG -- racquet sports -- visual evoked potential -- talent; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; 796.015
• DOI: 10.1080/24748668.2019.1688071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2474-8668

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The importance of visuomotor reactions in sports is inevitable; however, its assessment using computer-based tests raises the question, if results are transferable to sport-specific situations. Since computer-based simple reaction tests are widely used by sport scientists and practioners, this study examined their relation to sport-specific visuomotor reaction speed and performance. Seventeen international young elite table tennis players performed a simple visuomotor reaction test in response to stimuli presented on a computer screen (laboratory experiment) as well as table tennis balls played by a ball robot (sport-specific experiment). A sport-specific cued choice reaction task served as a control condition. The visuomotor reaction time (VMRT) was determined for all tasks. In addition, neurophysiological correlates of visual perception/processing speed (N2/N2-r) were measured in the laboratory experiment. The VMRT and neurophysiological parameters measured in the laboratory experiment predicted the sport-specific reaction speed (VMRT: r = 0.62; N2: r = 0.51; N2-r: r = −0.47) as well as sport-specific visuomotor performance reflected by the number of successfully hit balls (VMRT: r = −0.68; N2: r = −0.65; N2-r: r = 0.50). This did not apply to the choice reaction task. This study suggests computer-based behavioural and neurophysiological indices of visuomotor reaction time are directly related to the sport-specific visuomotor speed and performance in a more ecologically valid setting.