Comparison of motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities in amateur football, volleyball and tennis athletes

Nerve conduction velocity is a key factor in athletes' reaction time and coordination. This study examines the effects of sports on the nervous system by analyzing motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities in amateur football (FG), volleyball (VG), and tennis (TG) players. Sixty-four participants were divided into four groups: football (FG, n=16), volleyball (VG, n=16), tennis (TG, n=16), and control (CG, n=16). Electromyography (EMG) measured ulnar sensory, median motor, tibial motor, and sural sensory nerve conduction velocities on both dominant and non-dominant sides. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS 29.0, with normality assessed by the Shapiro-Wilk test and parametric/non-parametric tests applied (p<0.05 considered significant). VG had the highest average height (p<0.05). TG had a higher BMI than FG (p<0.05), while age and weight showed no differences (p>0.05). FG, VG, and TG had significantly higher ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocities than CG (p<0.05), while median motor velocity showed no difference (p>0.05). TG's right tibial motor velocity was higher than VG's (p=0.011), and sural sensory velocity showed no group differences (p>0.05). Females had higher left sural sensory velocities than males (p=0.010), but no gender differences in other nerves (p>0.05). In within-group comparisons, the right tibial nerve conduction velocity was higher than the left in FG and TG (p<0.05). Additionally, the right ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocities of FG, VG, and TG were higher than the left (p<0.05). Findings suggest that sports induce neurological adaptations, as seen in higher ulnar sensory velocities in athletes. The dominant side showed an advantage, while gender had no significant effect. These results provide insights into the neurophysiological effects of sports on nerve conduction and training.