Ferreira Maria Elisa Caputo, Carmo Everton Crivoi, Frota-Júnior Luiz Solon, de Sousa Fortes Leonardo
Graduate Program of Physical Education of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
Senac University Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2023 Oct;33(10):1984-1997. doi: 10.1111/sms.14445. Epub 2023 Jul 2.
We aimed to analyze the effect of a head-to-head virtual race on 20-km time trial performance in well-trained mentally fatigued cyclists. A total of 24 male professional cyclists participated in the present study, which was conducted in a within-factors design [four experimental conditions × four times (throughout 20-km time trial cycling)]. An avatar representing the participant on the racecourse was visible during the time trials. Then, a second virtual avatar representing the opponent was projected onto the screen in the mental fatigue head-to-head and control head-to-head experimental conditions. Measurements [rating of perceived exertion, heart rate, and eye-tracking measures (i.e., pupil diameter)] were performed every 5-km throughout the 20-km time trial. As a result, impaired total time, power output, and cadence throughout the 20-km cycling time trial were found for mental fatigue compared to mental fatigue head-to-head, control head-to-head, and control conditions (p < 0.05). Also, impaired 20-km time trial performance (total time, power output, and cadence) was found for mental fatigue head-to-head compared to control head-to-head (p < 0.05). Moreover, lower RPE was found for the control and control head-to-head conditions than mental fatigue head-to-head and mental fatigue experimental conditions (p < 0.05). Higher pupil diameter was also found for mental fatigue head-to-head, control head-to-head, and control than the mental fatigue experimental condition (p < 0.05). In summary, the overall performance throughout the 20-km cycling time trial was improved by the presence of a virtual opponent for the mentally fatigued cyclists.
我们旨在分析一场面对面虚拟比赛对训练有素的精神疲劳自行车运动员20公里计时赛成绩的影响。共有24名男性职业自行车运动员参与了本研究，该研究采用组内因素设计[四种实验条件×四次（在20公里计时赛骑行过程中）]。在计时赛期间，赛道上代表参与者的虚拟形象是可见的。然后，在精神疲劳面对面和对照面对面实验条件下，第二个代表对手的虚拟形象被投射到屏幕上。在整个20公里计时赛中，每5公里进行一次测量[主观用力程度评分、心率和眼动追踪测量（即瞳孔直径）]。结果发现，与精神疲劳面对面、对照面对面和对照条件相比，精神疲劳状态下在整个20公里骑行计时赛中的总时间、功率输出和踏频均受损（p<0.05）。此外，与对照面对面相比，精神疲劳面对面状态下的20公里计时赛成绩（总时间、功率输出和踏频）也受损（p<0.05）。此外，对照和对照面对面条件下的主观用力程度评分低于精神疲劳面对面和精神疲劳实验条件（p<0.05）。精神疲劳面对面、对照面对面和对照状态下的瞳孔直径也高于精神疲劳实验条件（p<0.05）。总之，对于精神疲劳的自行车运动员来说，虚拟对手的存在改善了整个20公里骑行计时赛的总体表现。
