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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07011290

Physical and Physiological Demands of Different Recreational Team Handball and Walking Modalitiesmodalities

This study aims to determine the physical and physiological demands and perceived experience during different recreational team handball and walking exercise modalities.

Secondary purposes are:

i) To compare the cardiovascular and blood lactate responses to self-paced walking (W), brisk walking (BW), recreational walking team handball (WTH), and recreational running team handball (RTH); ii) To compare the perceived experience (Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Fun levels (FUN)) during self-paced walking (W), brisk walking (BW), recreational walking team handball (WTH), and recreational running team handball (RTH); iii) To compare the activity profile during self-paced walking (W), brisk walking (BW), recreational walking team handball (WTH), and recreational running team handball (RTH);

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Key information

Conditions

Physiological Demands Elderly

Age range

50 year–82 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Maia

Maia, Portugal

About this study

Statistical analysis:

Linear mixed-effects model accounting for repeated measures within the participants, will be used to compare the working demands and perceived experience during the selected exercise modalities. This model will consider the exercise modalities and group as fixed effects and the participants ID as a random effect.

Significance level will be set at 5%, and confidence intervals will be reported for all comparisons.

Randomization:

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups due to logistical constraints. Each group will then perform 2 randomly assigned sequences of 4 exercise modalities (i.e., W, BW, WH, RH).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Males with 50-82 years
  • Previous recreational team handball experience( at least 3 months)

Exclusion criteria

  • Had any sort of limitation that prevented them from running or gripping a team handball ball
  • Had medical contradictions to partake in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity

Treatment and study plan

Self-paced Walking (W) training sessions

Other

Participants will partake in 2 sessions of self-paced walking (W), each composed by 3x14 min periods interspersed by 2 min breaks, in which the participants will walk at a self-selected speed (without running) along a 38x18 m course.

Brisk walking (BW) training sessions

Other

Participants will partake in 2 sessions of brisk walking (BW), each composed by 3x14 min periods, interspersed by 2 min breaks, in which the participants will follow a designated instructor who will dictate the walking speed along a 38x18 m course, thus ensuring that the speed of the walking corresponds to a brisk walking speed.

Recreational running team handball (RTH) training sessions

Other

Recreational running team handball (RTH):

Participants will partake in 2 sessions of recreational team handball matches (RTH), each composed by 3x14 min periods, interspersed by 2 min breaks on a 40x20m indoor court.

Recreational walking team handball (WTH) training sessions

Other

Recreational walking team handball (WTH):

Participants will partake in 2 sessions of recreational walking team handball matches (WTH), each composed by 3x14 min periods, interspersed by 2 min breaks on a 40x20m indoor court.

Primary outcomes

  1. Relative average rate

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, relative average rate will be determined using heart rate monitors.

  2. Relative time spent in each heart rate zone

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, relative time spent in each heart rate zone will be determined using heart rate monitors.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Absolute average heart rate

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, absolute average heart rate will be determined using heart rate monitors.

  2. Absolute time spent in each heart rate zone

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, absolute time spent in each heart rate zone will be determined using heart rate monitors.

  3. Relative peak heart rate

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, relative peak heart rate will be determined using heart rate monitors.

  4. Absolute peak heart rate

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    During each exercise modality, absolute peak heart rate will be determined using heart rate monitors.

  5. Rating of perceived exertion

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) will be determined using the modified (0-10) Borg scale, during each exercise modality.

  6. Fun levels

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    Fun levels (FUN) will be determined using an visual analog scale, during each exercise modality.

  7. Blood lactate

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    Blood lactate will be measured during the each exercise modality using a portable eletroenzymatic lactate device analyzer.

  8. Accelerations

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period

    The number of accelerations (expressed in m/s²) will be determined during each exercise modality training session using wearable accelerometers. Acceleration thresholds will be defined individually based on activity profiles established in baseline testing.

  9. Decelerations

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    The number of decelerations (expressed in m/s²) will be determined during each exercise modality training session using wearable accelerometers. Deceleration thresholds will be defined individually based on activity profiles established in baseline testing.

  10. Player load

    Time frame: Over an 8-week period.

    Player load (arbitrary units) will be calculated using data from wearable accelerometers during each exercise modality training session.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Institute of Maia

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Physical and Physiological Demands, and Perceived Experience Across Different Recreational Team Handball and Walking Exercise Modalities

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jun 8, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 2, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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