The Relation between Physiological Parameters and the Anxiety State in Competitive Men Handball Players During Official Competitions

Abstract

Problem statement: The aim of this study was to examine the blood biochemical and physiological changes that occur during competitions in elite handball players-men in a specific kind of anxiety state. The grounding, elaboration, verification and evaluation of a scientific concept based on psychological, physiological and biochemical guidance of the effort in competitive handball in order to generalize it at national level, imply the following: Establishing if and in which measure, the stress factors that act upon handball players during the official competition influence the modification dynamics of certain physiological factors being in direct correlation with effort capacity and focusing on the capacity of influencing, controlling and directing the stress factors in the sense of obtaining certain physiological parameters values necessary for a great performance. The research has emphasized the fact that this method of studying the factors that intervene in obtaining performances in handball is not yet applied on a national level, this aspect not being a priority for the specialty federation representatives, although this kind of collaboration with specialists from other fundamental areas, associated with competitive sports, has given world-wide remarkable results in other sports. Approach: The selected subjects for the experiment were male handball players in the Internal Championship-Romanian National League-male. Our experiment focused on each team’s ten most valuable players (The first seven title players and the first three most valuable reserves), resulting 50 subjects from the male teams. The selection criterion was number of times they played as title players in the Romanian Championship games, their participation in centralized training sessions with the Romanian representative teams, as well as their play in the Romanian National Team. Blood samples were drawn 3 min after finishing the match in order to determine pH, oxygen partial Pressure (P_O2), carbon dioxide partial pressure (PC_O2), concentration of Hydrogen Carbonate (HCO₃^-), Base Excess (BE), Standard Base Excess (SBE), Standard Bicarbonate (SBC), Lactic Acid (LA) and relation SBC/HCO₃^-(R). Conclusion/Recommendations: After match all parameters studied changed their value significantly (p<0.001) in all teams. These results demonstrate that handball demanding in a highly aerobic with a considerable anaerobic component (as in official competition) requiring high lactate tolerance. Training programmed should reflect these demands placed on players during competitive matchplay. The purpose of this study was accomplished, confirming some of theories in the sportive from a psychological point of view of approaching the sportive competitions. Data can represent a starting point in thorough study of the handball coaching principles.