Richard Buscombe

The placebo and nocebo effects on peak minute power during incremental arm crank ergometry

Abstract This investigation aimed to explore the effects of inert sugar-free drinks described as either ‘performance enhancing’ (placebo) or ‘fatigue inducing’ (nocebo) on peak minute power (PMP;W) during incremental arm crank ergometry (ACE). Twelve healthy, non-specifically trained individuals volunteered to take part. A single-blind randomised controlled trial with repeated measures was used to assess for differences in PMP;W, oxygen uptake, heart rate (HR), minute ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and subjective reports of local ratings of perceived exertion (LRPE) and central ratings of perceived exertion (CRPE), between three separate, but identical ACE tests. Participants were required to drink either 500 ml of a ‘sports performance’ drink (placebo), a ‘fatigue-inducing’ drink (nocebo) or water prior to exercise. The placebo caused a significant increase in PMP;W, and a significant decrease in LRPE compared to the nocebo (p=0.01; p=0.001) and water trials (p=0.01). No significant differences in PMP;W between the nocebo and water were found. However, the nocebo drink did cause a significant increase in LRPE (p=0.01). These results suggest that the time has come to broaden our understanding of the placebo and nocebo effects and their potential to impact sports performance.

Expectancy effects in tennis: the impact of opponents' pre-match non-verbal behaviour on male tennis players

Abstract In this study, we examined the impact of a male opponents pre-match body language and clothing (general vs. sports-specific) on how his performances were judged by an observer. Forty male tennis players viewed videos of a male target tennis player warming up and then observed playing footage of the target. Each participant viewed the target player warming up displaying one of four combinations of body language and clothing (positive body language/tennis-specific clothing; positive body language/general sportswear; negative body language/tennis-specific clothing; negative body language/general sportswear). Participants rated the performance of the tennis player and gave their perceptions of the likely outcome of a tennis match with the target player. Analyses of variance indicated that clothing and body language had an interactive effect on both outcome expectations and ratings of performance. The findings support the contention that the initial impressions athletes form of their opponents can influence the way in which they judge the performances of opponents and their perceived likelihood of success against the same opponents.

The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on fencing performance and cognitive function following fatigue-inducing fencing

Abstract This study investigated the impact that mouth rinsing carbohydrate solution has on skill-specific performance and reaction time following a fatigue-inducing bout of fencing in epee fencers. Nine healthy, national-level epee fencers visited a laboratory on two occasions, separated by a minimum of five days, to complete a 1-minute lunge test and Stroop test pre- and post-fatigue. Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded during completion of the fatiguing protocol. Between fights the participant’s mouth rinsed for 10 seconds, either 25 ml of 6.7% maltodextrin solution (MALT) or water (PLAC). Blood lactate and glucose were recorded at baseline, pre- and post-testing. Results showed an increase in heart rate and overall RPE over time in both conditions. There were no differences in blood glucose (F(1,8) = .63, P = .4, ηp = .07) or blood lactate levels (F(1,8) = .12, P = .70, ηp = .01) between conditions as a function of time. There was a significant improvement in lunge test accuracy during the MALT trial (F(1,8) = 5.21, P = .05, ηp = .40) with an increase from pre (81.2 ± 8.3%) to post (87.6 ± 9.4%), whereas there was no significant change during the placebo (pre 82.1 ± 8.8%, post 78.8 ± 6.4%). There were no recorded differences between conditions in response time to congruent (F(1,8) = .33, P = .58, ηp = .04) or incongruent stimuli (F(1,8) = .19, P = .68, ηp = .02). The study indicates that when fatigued mouth rinsing MALT significantly improves accuracy of skill-specific fencing performance but no corresponding influence on reaction time was observed.

The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on a 30-minute arm cranking performance

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on 30-min arm cranking performance. Twelve healthy, active males (age 21.6, standard deviation (SD)=3.1 years; mass 76.2, SD=12.2 kg) volunteered in a single-blind, randomised crossover design. Firstly they completed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion (VO2max test) on an arm crank (50W for 2 min, increasing by 10W every min). During visit 2 and 3 they arm cranked for maximal distance over 30 min at a resistance equivalent to 50% of their peak power, mouth rinsing for 5 s with either 25 ml of a tasteless 6.4% maltodextrin solution (CHO) or 25 ml of water (placebo) every 6 min. A letter cancellation test was performed pre and post exercise to measure cognitive function. The result showed that cognitive function was not significantly different between trials (P=0.874). There was no significant difference in distance arm cranked between trials (P=0.164) even though 9 out of 12 participants had improved performance on the CHO trial. In conclusion, further research is needed to determine the ergogenic effect of CHO mouth rinsing on upper body exercise performance.

Spirituality and Basketball Fanship: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Synthesis

The world of competitive sport affords an individual the opportunity to enter a spiritual community adding meaning that transcends one’s current understanding of life (Parry et al. 2007). Previously established dimensions of sports fanship (group affiliation, psychological commitment and team identification) share characteristics commonly associated with religious or spiritual affiliation indicating that fans may generate substantial life meaning from observing sporting encounters. In the present study, 12 male basketball fans (M=32.42; SD=7.97) completed semi-structured interviews immediately prior to viewing a competitive match at the 2011 European Basketball Championships (Vilnius, Lithuania). Interviews were structured under four headings; 1) the most memorable moment as a basketball fan, 2) thoughts, feelings and emotions attached to their team, 3) affiliation to the team in the context of the fan’s meaning of life, 4) connection with members of the fan’s sporting community. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to analyse interview transcripts. Raw data clustered into four dimensions; 1) devotion, 2) obscure emotions, 3) connectedness, and 4) universal values. The results indicate that sports fanship is characterised by, and synonymous with, an established understanding of spirituality derived from membership of wider spiritual and/or religious communities. The findings hold implications for the marketing and membership of local, amateur and professional sports clubs and brands, as well as community development, health and welfare.