AUTHOR=Luo Jia , Fang Caihua , Huang Sen , Wu Jinlong , Liu Bowen , Yu Jingxuan , Xiao Wen , Ren Zhanbing 

TITLE=Effects of single session transcranial direct current stimulation on aerobic performance and one arm pull-down explosive force of professional rock climbers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1153900

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2023.1153900

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=Objective: To explore the effects of single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on aerobic performance and explosive force in the one-arm pull-down of long-term trained rock climbers. 
Method: Twenty athletes (12 male and eight female) from the Rock Climbing Team of Hunan province (Huan, China) were selected for a randomized double-blind crossover study. After baseline tests, the twenty subjects visited two laboratories to randomly receive either sham or a-tDCS at a current intensity of 2 mA for 20 min. The two visits were more than 72 h apart. Immediately after each stimulation, subjects completed a 9-min 3-level-load aerobic test and a one-arm pull-down test. 
Results: Differences in the heart rate immediately after 9-min incremental aerobic exercises revealed no statistical significance between each group (P > 0.05). However, the decrease in heart rate per unit time after exercise after real stimulation was significantly better than before stimulation (P < 0.05), and no statistical significance was observed between after sham stimulation and before stimulation (P > 0.05). One-arm pull-down explosive force on both sides after real stimulation was improved by a-tDCS compared with before stimulation, but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). Real stimulation was significantly improved, compared with sham stimulation on the right side (P < 0.05). 
Conclusion: Single-session tDCS could potentially benefit sports performance in professional athletes.