The effect of mental and physical fatigue tasks on cutting movement assessment score in adolescent handball players

The effects of mental and physical fatigue on athletic performance in adolescent athletes are gaining increasing importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different fatigue conditions on cutting movement performance, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and target shooting accuracy in the sport of handball. A total of 20 licensed male handball players aged 14–18 years participated in the study. Participants were divided into three groups: control, physical fatigue, and mental fatigue. Mental fatigue was induced using the Stroop test, whereas physical fatigue was induced through a field-based high-intensity intermittent exercise protocol. Fatigue levels were verified using the NASA-TLX, the Modified Borg Scale, and heart rate monitoring. All performance tests were administered only after the fatigue protocols. According to the results, cutting movement scores increased significantly following physical fatigue. On the dominant limb, the scores were 5 (4–5) in the control group, 6 (5.75–7) in the physical fatigue group, and 5 (4–5) in the mental fatigue group. Significant differences were found between physical–control and physical–mental comparisons (p<0.001), whereas no difference was observed between mental–control groups (p=0.45). Similarly, for the non-dominant limb, the scores were 5 (4.75–5.6) in the control group, 6.5 (5.75–7) in the physical fatigue group, and 5 (4–6) in the mental fatigue group, with a significant increase only in the physical fatigue condition (p<0.001). In the CMJ test, jump height was significantly lower in the physical fatigue group compared to the control group (41.9±5.78 cm vs. 46.7±5.97 cm; p=0.03), while no statistical difference was found in the mental fatigue group (p=0.57). In target shooting accuracy, the mental fatigue group scored significantly lower than the control group (p=0.02). In conclusion, both mental and physical fatigue exerted different effects on motor performance in adolescent handball players. Physical fatigue negatively affected tasks requiring neuromuscular control, such as cutting and vertical jumping, whereas mental fatigue impaired target shooting accuracy through its influence on attention and decision-making processes. These findings highlight the importance of addressing fatigue management comprehensively in training planning for young athletes.