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This study investigated performance and physiology to understand pacing strategies in elite Paralympic athletes with cerebral palsy ( CP). Six Paralympic athletes with CP and 13 able-bodied ( AB) athletes performed two trials of eight sets of 10 shuttles (total 1600m). One trial was distance-deceived ( DEC, 1000 m + 600 m) one trial was nondeceived ( N- DEC, 1600 m). Time (s), heart rate ( HR, bpm), ratings of perceived exertion ( RPE, units), and electromyography of five bilateral muscles ( EMG) were recorded for each set of both trials. The CP group ran slower than the AB group, and pacing differences were seen in the CP DEC trial, presenting as a flat pacing profile over the trial ( P < 0.05). HR was higher and RPE was lower in the CP group in both trials ( P < 0.05). EMG showed small differences between groups, sides, and trials. The present study provides evidence for a possible pacing strategy underlying exercise performance and fatigue in CP. The results of this study show (1) underperformance of the CP group, and (2) altered pacing strategy utilization in the CP group. We proposed that even at high levels of performance, the residual effects of CP may negatively affect performance through selection of conservative pacing strategies during exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate mouth rinse (CMR) is a novel method proposed to enhance endurance performance lasting ≤ 60 min. The current study examined the influence of CMR on anaerobic performance tasks in 11 collegiate female soccer players after an overnight fast. Athletes completed two experimental sessions, during which carbohydrate (CHO; 6% maltodextrin) or taste- and colour-matched placebo (PLA) mouth-rinse solutions were administered in a counterbalanced, double-blinded design. Three rounds of a 5-min scrimmage bout and series of performance tests including a single countermovement vertical jump (1VJ), a set of four consecutive vertical jumps, a 72-m shuttle run (SR72) and 18-m sprint comprised each trial. Thirst sensation (TS), session TS, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and session RPE were assessed as secondary outcomes. The first SR72 approached significance (p = 0.069), but no significant between-trials differences were observed for any of the mean performance tasks. The highest 1VJ scores did not differ for the first (CHO = 47.3 ± 3.4, PLA = 47.7 ± 3.5 cm; p = 0.43), second (CHO = 48.0 ± 4.1, PLA = 47.9 ± 3.5 cm; p = 0.82) or third bout (CHO = 47.4 ± 3.9, PLA = 48.1 ± 3.9 cm; p = 0.26). TS approached significance (p = 0.053) during the first bout. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found for any of the perceptual variables. Current results fail to support ergogenic influence of CMR on anaerobic performance tasks in collegiate female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]