{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,30]],"date-time":"2025-08-30T16:42:14Z","timestamp":1756572134322,"version":"3.40.5"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,23]],"date-time":"2023-06-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1687478400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["SFRH\/BD\/144132\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SFRH\/BD\/144132\/2019"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["SFRH\/BD\/136789\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SFRH\/BD\/136789\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB04045\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB04045\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study examined the physical and physiological demands and perceived experience of a multicomponent exercise mode, recreational team handball (TH), for middle-aged\/elderly men and women, played as same- vs. mixed-gender 6v6 game formats. Matches\u2019 heart rate (HR), blood lactate (BL), perceived experience, activity profile, player load and accelerometer variables were assessed. Forty-one participants, with at least 12 weeks of experience with recreational TH (22 men; 69\u00b14 years, 19 women; 66\u00b16 years), performed 2 same- and 2 mixed-gender matches on an indoor 40x20 m TH court. A game format-by-gender interaction was observed for mean HR (%HR<jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>), time spent \u02c380 and \u02c390%HR<jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>, respiratory rating of perceived exertion and for several of the external load variables (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.05). During mixed-gender matches, time spent \u02c380 and \u02c390%HR<jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>, was higher for women vs. men (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.017). During same- and mixed-gender matches, BL was lower for women than men (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.015). Time spent \u02c390%HR<jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>was lower for women (<jats:italic>p =<\/jats:italic>0.036), whereas time spent \u02c380%HR<jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>was higher for men during same- vs. mixed-gender matches (<jats:italic>p =<\/jats:italic>0.034). The frequency, %total match time and distance covered with high-demanding movements were higher for men during same-gender than during mixed-gender matches (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.036), and higher for men vs. women in same- and mixed-gender matches (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.046). The frequency of high-intensity actions, accelerations, time spent in the higher player load zones and total accumulated player load, were higher for men vs. women during same- and mixed-gender matches (<jats:italic>p\u2264<\/jats:italic>0.044). Fun levels were very high (9.1\u20139.3 AU, 0\u201310). Mixed-gender small-sided recreational TH games are physiologically more demanding for middle-aged\/elderly women compared to men. Men showed higher cardiovascular and activity profile demands when playing same-gender matches, which was opposite to women. Nevertheless, TH is a high-intensity and motivating exercise mode for both genders, regardless the gender game format, meaning that exercise interventions may use same- and mixed-gender matches to promote participants\u2019 health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0286008","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,24]],"date-time":"2023-06-24T09:48:12Z","timestamp":1687600092000},"page":"e0286008","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Mixed-gender small-sided recreational team handball games in middle-aged and elderly are physiologically more demanding for women than men"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5558-1082","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ivone","family":"Carneiro","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Krustrup","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Castagna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8284-8237","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Rita","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Susana","family":"P\u00f3voas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0286008.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1089\/rej.2012.1397","article-title":"Effects of different exercise interventions on risk of falls, gait ability, and balance in physically frail older adults: a systematic review","volume":"16","author":"EL Cadore","year":"2013","journal-title":"Rejuvenation Res"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref002","first-page":"808","article-title":"Individual and team performance in team-handball: a review","volume":"13","author":"H Wagner","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Sports Sci Med"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref003","first-page":"6204603","article-title":"Physical and Physiological Demands of Recreational Team Handball for Adult Untrained Men","volume":"2017","author":"SCA P\u00f3voas","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biomed Res Int"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"800","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pcad.2020.10.005","article-title":"Effects of a 16-week recreational team handball intervention on aerobic performance and cardiometabolic fitness markers in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial","volume":"63","author":"R Pereira","year":"2020","journal-title":"Prog Cardiovasc Dis"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"561","DOI":"10.1007\/s00421-018-4034-5","article-title":"Cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal adaptations to recreational team handball training: a randomized controlled trial with young adult untrained men","volume":"119","author":"T Hornstrup","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur J Appl Physiol"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.1111\/sms.13563","article-title":"Cardiovascular and metabolic health effects of team handball training in overweight women: Impact of prior experience","volume":"30","author":"T Hornstrup","year":"2020","journal-title":"Scand J Med Sci Sports"},{"key":"pone.0286008.ref007","first-page":"4109796","article-title":"Effects of a Short-Term Recreational Team Handball-Based Programme on Physical Fitness and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health of 33-55-Year-Old Men","volume":"2018","author":"SCA P\u00f3voas","year":"2018","journal-title":"A Pilot Study. 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