Assessment of Physical Demands and Fluid Balance in Elite Female Handball Players During a 6-Day Competitive Tournament

Abstract

Little data exists on drinking behavior, sweat loss, and exercise intensity across a competitive handball tournament in elite female athletes. Heart rate (HR), fluid balance and sweat electrolyte content were assessed on 17 international players across a 6-day tournament involving 5 games and 2 training sessions played indoors (23 ± 2 °C, 30 ± 2% relative humidity). Active play (effective) mean HR was 155 ± 14 bpm (80 ± 7.5% HRmax) with the majority of time (64%) spent exercising at intensities >80% HRmax. Mean (SD) sweat rates during games were 1.02 ± 0.07 L · h⁻¹ and on 56% of occasions fluid intake matched or exceeded sweat loss. A significant relationship was observed between estimated sweat loss and fluid intake during exercise (r² = .121, p = .001). Mean sweat sodium concentration was 38 ± 10 mmol · L⁻¹, with significant associations observed between player sweat rates and time spent exercising at intensities >90% HRmax (r² = .181, p = .001). Fluid and electrolyte loss appear to be work rate dependent in elite female handball players, whom appear well capable of replacing fluids lost within a tournament environment. Due to large between-athlete variations, a targeted approach may be warranted for certain players only.

Sweat Loss and Hydration Habits of Female Olympic, Varsity and Recreational Ice Hockey Players

“…The mean sweat Na loss found in the current study for the Olympic athletes only were higher than previously reported sweat Na loss in collegiate female handball players (0.68 g/h). [40] All three groups had a mean sweat Na loss lower than an earlier report for elite female soccer players (1.2 g/h). [28] Sodium is crucial for the retention of ingested fluid and maintaining proper fluid balance during and after exercise [41,42].…”

Interindividual variability in sweat electrolyte concentration in marathoners

“…To estimate the requirements of salt during exercise, several investigations have been conducted to assess sweat Na + concentrations during different exercise and sport activities. As a range, sweat Na + concentration is 38–53 mmol·L −1 in football [ 4 , 5 ], 20–62 mmol·L −1 in soccer [ 6 , 7 ], 43–65 mmol·L −1 in swimming [ 8 , 9 ], 34–38 mmol·L −1 in handball [ 10 , 11 ], 54–73 mmol·L −1 in ice hockey [ 12 , 13 ], 17–73 mmol·L −1 in marathon [ 14 ] and 46–48 mmol·L −1 in triathlon [ 1 ]. A recent retrospective analysis with 506 athletes [ 15 ] has determined that sweat Na + concentration during exercise might vary from 13 to 105 mmol·L −1 but these data were obtained from athletes of very different sport disciplines (American football, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, cycling, running and triathlon) in very diverse weather conditions (15 to 50 °C of dry temperature).…”

Performance Factors of Handball: Physiological Demands and Velocity of Ball Throwing

“…6,11,12,22,27 Maç sırasında ortalama KAH'nin ise bireysel KAH maks 'ın %70-87'si düzeyinde olduğu gösterilmiştir. 6,11,28 Karcher ve Buchheit, saha içi fizyolojik yükü KAH maks 'ın %82±9-87±9 hızında ve maç sonrası laktat konsantrasyonunu 4,8±1,9-8,3±1,0 mmol/L aralığında bildirmişlerdir. 8 Ancak, maç sırasında hentbolcuların kan laktat değeri aralıklarında çelişkili sonuçlar göze çarpmaktadır.…”