Case Report: Jet lag and travel fatigue effects on performance in a world-class Paralympic shot-putter after eastward long-haul transmeridian travel
(Fallbericht: Auswirkungen von Jetlag und Reisemüdigkeit auf die Leistung eines Weltklasse-Paralympics-Kugelstoßers nach einer Langstreckenreise nach Osten über mehrere Zeitzonen hinweg)
Introduction:
This case report aimed to examine the effects of long-haul eastward transmeridian travel on neuromuscular performance, subjective well-being, and internal training load in a World-class female Paralympic shot-putter preparing for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Methods:
An F54-class athlete was monitored for 21 days surrounding a flight from Chile to France (eastward, six time zones). Daily assessments included handgrip strength (HGS), shot-put throwing distance, subjective well-being, and session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE). Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation were used to explore relationships between performance and physiological/subjective variables.
Results:
Transient reductions in HGS occurred for 3-4 days post-travel, followed by daily fluctuations. Jet lag and fatigue scores were elevated during the first post-travel days but showed progressive improvement, returning to near-baseline levels by approximately two weeks before competition. Throwing performance showed a moderate positive correlation with left-hand HGS (phi = 0.52, p = 0.032) and a negative correlation with s-RPE (phi = -0.56, p = 0.018). Gastrointestinal disruptions, particularly in stool frequency and consistency, persisted longer than other subjective variables.
Conclusion:
Long-haul transmeridian travel was associated with transient neuromuscular and perceptual disturbances in a world-class Paralympic athlete. HGS and s-RPE emerged as practical and responsive markers of travel-induced fatigue and performance readiness during the 21-day period surrounding international travel. These findings highlight the need for individualized monitoring strategies during the travel adaptation period in elite Paralympic sport contexts.
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| Schlagworte: | |
|---|---|
| Notationen: | Kraft-Schnellkraft-Sportarten Parasport |
| Tagging: | Reise |
| Veröffentlicht in: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2026
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| Jahrgang: | 8 |
| Seiten: | 1745296 |
| Dokumentenarten: | Artikel |
| Level: | hoch |