Aerobic-Anaerobic Profiles, Heart Rate and Match Analysis in Old Basketball Players

Background: Scientific information on master competitions is mainly in individual sports and there is a lack of information on the senior team sport matches. Objective: To provide aerobic and anaerobic profiles of senior (55 +/- 5 years) basketball players (n = 10), and to evaluate the physiological load and the match analysis of a senior basketball match. Methods: Participants were administered a maximal oxygen consumption (V(O2max)) and anaerobic tests (jump tests: counter movement jump (CMJ) and bounce jump (BJ), and running tests: 10-m sprint and running 10 m while bouncing the ball (10-m(BB))). During a senior basketball match, the players' heart rate (HR), electrocardiogram (ECG), blood lactate concentration (LA) and motor activities were recorded. Results: The maximal aerobic test values were: HR(peak) 149 +/- 9 beats.min(-1); power 187 +/- 23 W; V(O2peak) 22.9 +/- 2.2 ml.kg(-1).min(-1); LA(peak) 8.3 +/- 1.9 mM. Jump test values were: CMJ = 24.9 +/- 6.5 cm and BJ = 20.5 +/- 4.75 cm. Running performances were: 10-m sprint in 2.26 +/- 0.18 s; 10-m(BB) in 2.34 +/- 0.14 s; 10-m(BB)/10-m sprint ratio 1.1 +/- 0.1. During the match, no adverse event or ST-segment changes or complex arrhythmias occurred. HR exceeded 85% of HR(peak) for 59 +/- 37%. LA values were 3.7 +/- 1.8 mM. Players spent 48% walking, 19% positioning, 17% running, 15% inactive, and 1% jumping. A limited number of fouls (2 +/- 1.5) was observed and players performed only 2-point shots. Conclusion: Older basketball players undergoing a training regimen of 1.5 h.week(-1) showed good anaerobic characteristics and a moderate aerobic capacity. Although the senior basketball match required high intensities (only 3% of total match time spent at HR < 70% of HR(max)), the ECG Holter monitoring showed no adverse event, ST-segment changes or complex arrhythmias. Finally, their play did not include the technical skills recently introduced to basketball.