TAPPING FREQUENCY AS AN INDICATOR OF AN ATHLETE'S NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL READINESS

УДК 796.015.6

Abstract

The present study investigates the dynamics of the maximum frequency of elementary movements (tapping) and the ability to maintain it over time among athletes, based on age, qualification level, and sports specialization (boxing and football). Using a custom-developed electronic device, the research conducted on 120 athletes aged 7 to 30 demonstrated that motor frequency increases non-linearly with age, reaching its peak in the 20-22 age range before gradually declining. Additionally, a direct correlation between the level of training and test results was empirically confirmed: highly qualified athletes are significantly better at maintaining a high pace of movement. One of the study's most significant findings is the lack of a statistically significant difference between representatives of different sports specializations. The comparable results exhibited by football players and boxers confirm that the tapping test does not evaluate the local adaptation of the peripheral neuromuscular apparatus, but rather the general working capacity of the central nervous system and the lability of nervous processes (excitation-inhibition). Ultimately, the research substantiates that assessing the maximum frequency of elementary movements serves as a universal and valid tool for diagnosing the neurophysiological readiness of athletes and for the effective, individualized management of training loads.

Аннотация

В настоящей работе исследована динамика максимальной частоты элементарных движений (теппинга) и способности к ее длительному сохранению у спортсменов в зависимости от возраста, квалификации и спортивной специализации (бокс, футбол). Исследование, проведенное с использованием специально разработанного автором электронного устройства на 120 спортсменах в возрасте от 7 до 30 лет, показало, что моторная частота нелинейно возрастает с возрастом — она достигает пиковых значений в возрастном диапазоне 20-22 лет, после чего постепенно снижается. Наряду с этим эмпирически подтверждена прямая связь между уровнем тренированности и результатами теста: спортсмены высокой квалификации значительно лучше сохраняют высокий темп движений. Одной из важнейших находок исследования является отсутствие статистически достоверной разницы между представителями различных спортивных специализаций. Схожие результаты, показанные футболистами и боксерами, подтверждают, что теппинг-тест оценивает не локальную адаптацию периферического нервно-мышечного аппарата, а общую работоспособность центральной нервной системы и лабильность нервных процессов (возбуждение-торможение). В конечном итоге, исследование обосновывает, что оценка максимальной частоты элементарных движений является универсальным и валидным инструментом для диагностики нейрофизиологической готовности спортсменов и для эффективного, индивидуализированного управления тренировочными нагрузками.

Keywords: Maximum frequency of elementary movements, tapping test, central nervous system, neurophysiological readiness, sports qualification, age dynamics, sports specialization.

Ключевые слова: Максимальная частота элементарных движений, теппинг-тест, центральная нервная система, нейрофизиологическая готовность, спортивная квалификация, возрастная динамика, спортивная специализация

Introduction

Assessing an athlete's functional state and neurophysiological readiness is a cornerstone of modern sports science and training process management. The study of the frequency of elementary movements is widely used in sports science practice as an indicator of neuromuscular coordination, central nervous system activity, and resistance to fatigue. The frequency of elementary movements is considered one of the important indicators of motor function and is closely related to both biological age and exercise adaptive processes. For athletes, especially in sports where speed and reaction are paramount (boxing, fencing, sprinting), the frequency of elementary movements is of decisive importance.

Modern studies reveal that the frequency of motor movement increases during childhood and adolescence, peaks in early adulthood, and then gradually declines. This dynamic is often assessed with standardized tests, such as the Finger Tapping Test (FTT), which records the number of rapid repetitive movements in a unit of time. Turesky et al. [9] point to a significant increase in motor speed during adolescence, reflecting the maturation of the central nervous system and improved corticospinal conduction. Studies by Wüthrich et al. [10] confirmed the high reliability of the tapping test for assessing neuromotor functions. In recent studies, Heimhofer and co-authors [3] also confirmed the age-specific effect on tapping speed and motor fatigue.

In athletes, the frequency of motor movement usually reaches its highest level between the ages of 18 and 25, reflecting the maximum efficiency of neurophysiological processes, full mobilization of motor units, and a high level of reflex activity. After the age of 30, a gradual decrease in the frequency of elementary movements is recorded. Seidler et al. [7] concluded that these age-related changes are associated with structural and biochemical changes in the brain. A study by Teismann et al. [8]  confirmed a statistically significant decrease in frequency with age, which is also associated with a decrease in neuromotor control and coordination. In addition, according to Memisevic et al. [5] and Teismann [8], men often have a slightly higher motor frequency than women, although elite sports training significantly reduces individual and gender differences.

Despite age-related biological changes, high-intensity sports training significantly slows down the rate of decline in motor movement frequency. Highly qualified athletes are better at maintaining the ability to perform movements at a high frequency. An extensive study by Chaabouni et al. [2], which directly concerned the tapping test in football players, as well as studies by Akbar et al. [1], confirm that neuromuscular training substantially improves athletes' resistance to fatigue and the ability to maintain motor frequency. For example, according to a study by Podrigalo et al. [6], elite taekwondo athletes had a significantly higher tapping frequency than recreationally active individuals of the same age. This indicates that the maximum movement frequency depends not only on chronological age, but also on the intensity and quality of training. Sports that require high coordination and reaction speed contribute to high test results. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the dynamics of maximum tapping frequency in athletes across age groups, qualification levels, and sports specializations.

Peculiarities of neurophysiological working capacity, neuromuscular coordination, and resistance to fatigue of athletes of different ages, qualifications, and specializations (boxing, football).

Relevance of the study

The relevance of this study is due to the growing need for objective, accessible diagnostic tools for monitoring the central mechanisms of motor control and neurophysiological performance in athletes. Although the tapping test is widely used, there is little in-depth comparative data on how fundamentally different sports with biomechanical and technical requirements (e.g., boxing, where the upper limbs dominate, and football, where the lower limbs are dominant) affect the general lability of the central nervous system in a wide age range (7 to 30 years). Understanding whether the tapping frequency serves as a universal systemic indicator of "neural fitness" or is limited to local muscular adaptation is highly relevant for developing effective, individual protocols for managing sports loads.

Research Purpose

This study aimed to examine age-related dynamics, qualification effects, and sport-specialization differences in maximum tapping frequency and fatigue resistance among athletes aged 7–30.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. The study contingent was selected based on the principle of purposive sampling, taking into account specialization and age categories.

The study involved 120 athletes of various ages and qualifications: boxers - 60 and football players - 60.

Participants were divided into five age groups (7–10, 11–14, 15–18, 19–22, and 23–30 years), each comprising 24 athletes (12 boxers and 12 footballers)

Below is a visual diagram illustrating the research design.

Figure 1. Visual diagram illustrating the research design

To assess the neurophysiological performance of athletes, the study was based on the classic methodology of the "Tapping test" developed by E.P. Ilyin, which aims to diagnose the properties of the central nervous system (strength and lability of nerve processes). However, to ensure maximum accuracy and objectivity of the data, a modified version of this method was used in the study. A F209 millisecond timer (Ф209 миллисекундомер) and an original electronic device created by the author were used for testing.

This complex ensures automatic registration of each touch performed on the touch screen with microsecond accuracy. The subject was given the task to perform hits on a special touch screen with maximum frequency for 40 seconds. The device recorded the total number of movements and also the frequency in every 10-second interval (4 intervals in total), which allowed us to assess not only the peak motor frequency, but also the dynamics of resistance to fatigue and the type of working capacity of the nervous system. Statistical data processing was performed using generally accepted methods, by determining the arithmetic mean (M), standard deviation (SD), and statistical significance of the difference between groups (t-test) (p < 0.05).

In conducting the research, informed consent was obtained from all participants and/or their legal representatives (guardians).

Research results

The results of the tapping test demonstrated clear age-related changes in the maximum frequency of elementary movements. (Figure 2.) For example: in children aged 7-8, the maximum frequency of elementary movements is on average 25 movements in 10 seconds, while at the age of 10, the rate increases rapidly and reaches 34±3 movements in 10 seconds. The difference between 7-8 year olds and 10 year olds is statistically significant. (p< 0.001) In adolescents aged 11-14, there is a more significant increase in this indicator, and it reaches 55±6.2 movements in 10 seconds.

The maximum frequency of elementary movements in 17-year-old boxers is 62±6.1 movements in 10 seconds. It should be noted that if the increase of the mentioned indicator was quite rapid with age until the age of 17, after the age of 17 the increase is insignificant and reaches 64±5.6 movements in 10 seconds for the age of 19-22. And after 22 years, it starts to decrease, and by the age of 23-30, this indicator decreases to 60±4.6 movements in 10 seconds.

Figure 2. Change in the maximum frequency of elementary movement in boxers by age group

With age, there is also a certain decrease in the ability to maintain movement at maximum frequency. For example: at the age of 7-8, the maximum frequency of elementary movements decreased by 70±6.2 in the 10th ten seconds compared to the first ten-second segment. In 10-year-old children, the decrease is 73±5.11%, and at the age of 11-14, it is 80±4.2%. Such regularity is observed in the example of novice athletes. In well-trained athletes, aging is mostly accompanied by an increase in the level of training, which compensates for the decrease in this indicator with age.

Let's consider the difference of this indicator in boxers of different qualifications (Figure 3). In 17-year-old novice athletes, this indicator was 64±5.1 movements in 10 seconds. In boxers of average qualification, 66±5.5 movements, and in boxers of high qualification, it increases to 71±4.8 movements.

Figure 3. The effect of sports qualification on the frequency of elementary movement in boxers

  Highly qualified athletes can maintain the maximum rate of movement for a relatively long period of time. For example, in low-qualified boxers, the decrease in the indicator in the 10th 10-second segment compared to the first 10-second segment was 81±11.5%, while in highly qualified athletes it did not exceed 68±7.007%. (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Decrease in frequency maintenance according to the athlete's qualification (mean ± standard deviation)

It was of some interest to study the frequency of elementary movement in a sport in which the physical capabilities of the upper limbs are not critical (e.g., football). Such a comparison would significantly enrich the analysis of the study and allow us to consider whether the frequency of movements specifically reflects only the specific load of those muscle groups whose direct participation is necessary for the sport, or is more related to the general neurophysiological state of the body. Accordingly, the interpretation of the data would more fully show whether the frequency of elementary movement can be used as a universal indicator to assess the level of neuromuscular training and functional readiness of the central nervous system of athletes, regardless of sports specialization. In our case, football was chosen as such a sport. No regular difference in the maximum frequency of elementary movements was observed between football players and boxers. Moreover, in some cases, the indicators recorded in football players (in some cases, 90-95 movements in 10 seconds) exceeded the indicators of boxers. However, boxers showed a slight advantage in the ability to maintain the maximum rate of movement for a long time, and the statistical analysis did not show a significant difference between the groups (p>0.05).

Discussion

The conducted research revealed several important patterns in terms of the neurophysiological performance of athletes, the consideration of which in the context of modern scientific literature significantly enriches the field knowledge.

First of all, a clear, non-linear trend of age dynamics of motor frequency was revealed. According to the obtained data, the maximum frequency of elementary movements was minimal in the 7-10 age group, which fully corresponds to the conclusions of Memisevic et al. [5] on the basic levels of motor development in childhood. In subsequent age groups, a sharp increase in indicators was recorded, which reached a peak in athletes aged 19-22 (group 4). This finding of ours is in direct resonance with the fMRI studies of Turesky et al. [9], which confirm that synaptic efficiency and corticospinal conduction of the motor cortex reach their maximum in early adulthood.

Regarding the gradual, slight decline observed in the 23-30 age group, this process is logically explained by the age-related structural-biochemical changes in the brain described by Seidler et al. [7]. However, it is noteworthy that in the athletes we studied, this decline occurs at a much slower rate than in the general population, as confirmed by recent studies by Heimhofer [3] and Teismann [8]. Systematic sports activity plays the role of a kind of "neuroprotector" and slows down the age-related degradation of motor control.

The second important parameter that the study revealed concerns resistance to fatigue and the influence of qualification. The analysis of the number of movements in 10-second intervals during the 40-second testing process showed that in athletes with low qualifications and young age, the initial high pace dropped sharply in the final phase of the test (in the 3rd and 4th intervals), which created a downward curve of working capacity. In contrast, highly qualified athletes (especially in the 19-30 age range) ensured the long-term maintenance of a high rate of movement.

This result represents solid empirical evidence for the postulate of Akbar et al. [1], according to which targeted neuromuscular training substantially improves physical fitness and resistance to fatigue. Furthermore, our findings are identical to the study conducted by Podrigalo et al. [6] on young taekwondo athletes, which also confirmed that a high qualification level is directly correlated with better tapping test performance. Ultimately, the concept of Chaabouni et al. [2] was also confirmed, that the tapping test is a highly sensitive and valid tool for assessing neuromuscular fatigue in athletes. The most noteworthy and methodologically novel result was revealed when comparing sports specializations (boxing and football). Although boxing primarily requires the use of the upper limbs (hand speed and reaction), while football is dominated by the lower limbs, there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in tapping frequency indicators between the athletes of these two groups in any age category. This fact is of fundamental importance. It empirically proves the theory of Turesky et al. [9] that the neural control of rapid finger movement (tapping) depends not on peripheral-muscular adaptation, but on the brain's global functional networks. In other words, despite the different biomechanics, the central nervous system and the lability of neural processes of a highly qualified football player are developed to the same high level as those of a highly qualified boxer. The high test-retest reliability confirmed by Wüthrich et al. [10] further emphasizes that the results we obtained are not random, but systematic. Consequently, the tapping test measures general "neural fitness," which is a universal basis for any type of elite sports activity. The present study has several limitations. First, the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inferences regarding age-related changes. Second, qualification level was not standardized by a unified ranking system. Third, the sample was limited to two sports specializations, which may restrict generalizability. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs and include a broader range of sports specializations to further validate the universality of the tapping test as a neurophysiological marker.

Conclusion:

The present study confirmed that the maximum frequency of elementary movements shows non-linear age-related growth, reaching its peak in the 19–22 age range, followed by gradual regression. Sports qualification proved directly proportional to both maximum movement frequency and the ability to maintain it over time, reflecting neuromuscular adaptation developed through training.

The absence of a statistically significant difference between boxing and football specializations suggests that the tapping test reflects the general functional state of the central nervous system rather than peripheral muscular adaptation. Consequently, the maximum frequency of elementary movements represents a valid and informative tool for diagnosing neurophysiological readiness and monitoring training effectiveness across sports specializations.

References:

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