@Article{Ferioli2025,
journal="Biology of Sport",
issn="0860-021X",
volume="42",
number="3",
year="2025",
title="Etiology and recovery of knee extensor muscle fatigue following 
simulated basketball match-play",
abstract="This study investigated the etiology and recovery of knee extensor muscle fatigue following simulated basketball match-play. Thirteen adult male competitive basketball players (age: 25±4 years, stature: 185±9 cm, body mass: 86±14 kg, body fat: 13±4%) completed a simulated match-play (i.e., the Basketball Activity Simulation Protocol) consisting of standardized specific match-based basketball activities. Before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) the match-play, the neuromuscular function of the knee extensors was evaluated to determine the amount of muscle fatigue and its origin. Assessments were also repeated 24 h (POST24) and 48 h (POST48) after the match-play to evaluate muscle fatigue recovery. The main outcomes were maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque, voluntary activation estimated through superimposed stimuli, electrically-evoked twitch and doublet peak torque (PT), and the 10:100 Hz doublet ratio. The Total Quality Recovery (TQR) scale was used to assess the perceived recovery status at PRE, POST24 and POST48. Time-related changes (one-way repeated measures ANOVA) were observed for MVC torque (main effect:  P  = 0.002,  moderate ; post hoc: POST < PRE,  small ), twitch and doublet PT ( P  < 0.001,  strong ; POST < PRE, POST24 and POST48,  moderte-to-large ) and 10:100 Hz doublet ratio ( P  < 0.001,  strong ; POST < PRE, POST24 and POST48,  large ; POST48 > PRE,  moderate ). Voluntary activation and TQR were not affected at the different time-points ( P  = 0.060 and  P  = 0.455,  minimum , respectively). In conclusion, basketball match-play significantly reduced knee extensor MVC strength, with baseline levels being restored within 24 h. Muscle fatigue was accompanied by a significant pre-to-post match reduction of electrically-evoked torque responses, indicative of peripheral fatigue (and evidence of low-frequency fatigue), while no signs of central fatigue were noted.",
author="Ferioli, Davide
and Freitas, Tomás
and Mannucci, Carmen
and Chung, Linda
and Mombelli, Andrea
and E. Alcaraz, Pedro
and Maffiuletti, Nicola A.",
pages="327--334",
doi="10.5114/biolsport.2025.148546",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.148546"
}