Abstract - Examining the effects of post-activation performance enhancement on boxers’ visual reaction time
Background. There is strong evidence suggesting that Post-Activation Performance Enhancement (PAPE) can acutely enhance arious aspects of sports performance, such as strength, endurance, speed, and agility. However, there is a gap in research regarding the effects of PAPE on reaction time performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PAPE on the visual reaction time performances of amateur boxers.
Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 17 amateur boxers. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and participants performed a 1-RM Bench Press performance test preceded by 5 minutes of low-intensity running. The PAPE protocol was then administered 72 hours later after another 5 minutes of low-intensity running to avoid fatigue. Visual reaction time was measured immediately before the PAPE protocol and six times at 3-minute intervals afterward. Data were analyzed using IBM Statistics (SPSS, ver. 26.0, Armonk, NY, USA) software.
Results. The study found that although there was a difference in the mean visual reaction time performance of participants before and after the PAPE protocol, this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that PAPE does not have an enhancing effect on the visual reaction time performance of boxers.
Conclusions. In conclusion, this study suggests that PAPE does not significantly affect visual reaction time performance in amateur boxers. Further research may be warranted to explore other factors that may influence reaction time in this population.