Perceptual-Motor Performance in Elite Basketball Players

This study investigated upper-extremity asymmetries in perceptual-motor performance and neural conduction among elite female basketball players, utilizing a one-group pretest-posttest design. Fourteen athletes were assessed on Coincidence Anticipation Timing (CAT) performance (Absolute Error, AE; Variable Error, VE), Surface Electromyography (sEMG) parameters (activation latency and amplitude), and Median/Ulnar nerve conduction characteristics. The analysis revealed a significant main effect of Hand Dominance, with the dominant hand exhibiting superior timing accuracy and consistency (lower AE and VE, p \< 0.01), which is potentially attributed to enhanced neuromuscular efficiency stemming from sport-specific training adaptations. Baseline neural assessments indicated enhanced efficiency in the dominant limb, characterized by shorter nerve conduction latency and higher amplitude. However, the dominant limb was also found to be susceptible to greater maximum errors, supporting the presence of a speed-accuracy trade-off in high-velocity perceptual-motor actions. Post-intervention analyses following the CAT task revealed significant, generalized neuromuscular alterations across both limbs, specifically an increase in latency and a decrease in amplitude (p \< 0.001), suggesting task-induced acute neuromuscular strain or fatigue.Furthermore, strong correlations were established between nerve conduction latency and error indices (r = 0.72 to 0.87), emphasizing a direct functional link between peripheral neural transmission speed and perceptual-motor precision. In conclusion, elite basketball players exhibit asymmetrical neural adaptations favoring the dominant limb, yet performance variability is intrinsically tied to peripheral neural efficiency. The findings advocate for the integration of bilateral training strategies and electrophysiological monitoring to optimize performance while concurrently mitigating the risk of overuse-related neural compromise.