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Introduction: The recoverability of athletes at different performance levels may be dissimilar. This study aimed to compare differences in fatigue level and recovery ability between champions and those who did not make it to the top three in the taekwondo category of the National High School Games. Methods: Nine champions were assigned to the excellent group (EXG) and 15 athletes who did not make it to the top three were assigned to the general group (GEG). Before and after the match, countermovement jump (CMJ) and maximum voluntary isometric contraction were evaluated. The selected parameters were jump height, 50ms, 100ms and maximal rate of force development (50ms, 100ms and maximal RFD). The differences in fatigue and recoverability between groups were examined with paired sample t-tests; independent sample t-tests were used to compare differences in percentage change in fatigue and recoverability between groups. Results: The 50ms RFD, 100ms RFD, and maximal RFD after the first match of the GEG were significantly lower than their levels before the first match (p < .05), while the group did not show significant fatigue (p >.05). The jump height of both the GEG and the EXG was significantly lower than that at pre-match (p < .05). The GEG showed significantly higher percentage reductions in 50ms RFD and 100ms RFD than the EXG (p < .05). However, the percentage change in recoverability did not differ significantly between the groups (p >.05). Conclusions: The 50ms RFD, 100ms RFD, and max RFD of the GEG were significantly reduced after the first match, indicating the group's evident fatigue level. Percentage reductions in 50ms RFD and 100ms RFD after the first match were significantly higher in the GEG than in the EXG. Both groups' CMJ height before the second match did not return to the same level as that before the first match. This study suggests that 50ms RFD and 100ms RFD can be used as an evaluation index for taekwondo athletes to determine their degree of fatigue and whether they have a competitive advantage. CMJ height may be an indicator of recoverability of taekwondo athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and the Paediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (PCTSIB) quantify the ability to maintain balance in the presence of sensory conflicts. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the comparability of these two assessment tools and to explore their distribution characteristics in adolescent rhythmic gymnasts. Methods: Fifteen female rhythmic gymnasts (15.0±1.8 yr.) who had received professional training for at least nine months were assessed in a single session. There were corresponding six sensory conditions in the SOT and PCTSIB tests. The SOT equipment automatically outputs computer-generated equilibrium scores based on the participant’s sway angle, whereas the PCTSIB involves manual timing (holding time), which can be combined with observation of sway angle to generate the performance score (summary score). Results: The equilibrium scores of the SOT Conditions 1 to 6 of the rhythmic gymnasts were 95.5 ± 1.4, 93.0 ± 2.1, 93.8 ± 1.6, 89.7 ± 4.0, 62.9 ± 9.7, and 74.0 ± 8.8%, respectively. Rhythmic gymnasts’ performance in SOT Conditions 1 to 3, with firm support, revealed narrow distributions of performance and ceiling effects. Notable ceiling effects were also evident in the holding time of PCTSIB Conditions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, as well as in the summary score of PCTISB Conditions 1 and 4 with eyes open. Only Condition 5 of the PCTSIB (holding time) was related to the corresponding SOT condition: eyes closed with altered support (Rho = 0.61). Conclusion: Although the PCTSIB and SOT tests have similar designs, their results are not comparable, which might be due to the notable ceiling effects when the tests are applied to rhythmic gymnasts. We recommend using SOT Conditions 4 to 6 in the laboratory or PCTSIB Condition 5 (holding time) in the field to evaluate sensory organization ability in adolescent rhythmic gymnasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]