Coordination Variability Changes with Fatigue in Sprinters

Coordination variability is an inherent factor in athletic performance and characterises the fluctuations that occur in an individual's movement patterns. Fatigue restructures the inter-segmental organization of the neuromuscular system and alters the movement patterns necessary for a skilled performance. The current study investigated how fatigue altered coordination variability during the multi-joint movement of sprinting. Using a dual case study design, two sprinters performed six 80 m sprints with decreasing rest periods, as required for their scheduled training session. The sprinters were filmed from the maximal speed stage of the sprint until the finish line. The unique effects shown by each sprinter at different phases throughout the trials and the strides suggest that the effect of fatigue on movement variability cannot be generalised across sprinters. Along with the effects of fatigue on strength and fitness, other factors (such as mental focus or determination) might influence movement variability.