Dual-pillar phenotype of elite deaf female soccer players: reduced aerobic capacity and repeated-sprint ability coexisting with enhanced explosive power.
Szulc AM, Balatoni I, Przybylski G, Chęsy A, Buśko K. · British journal of sports medicine · 2026
Purpose: Research on deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes suggests sensorimotor trade-offs from neuroplasticity. We tested divergent adaptation in elite female soccer players, hypothesising a phenotype with cardiorespiratory/repeated-sprint deficits with enhanced explosive power (H1), respiratory-perceptual fatigue (H2) and a sensory-endurance gradient (H3).
Methods: This cross-sectional study compared 18 elite deaf (Polish National Team) and 21 hearing (top-tier) players. Assessments included cardiopulmonary exercise testing with maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) verification, Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) and countermovement jump (CMJ) with allometric scaling. Analysis of covariance controlled for body fat and training experience.
Results: Supporting H1, hearing athletes had higher adjusted VO₂max (50.3 vs 45.8 mL/kg/min, p=0.016) and RAST peak power (7.2 vs 6.1 W/kg, p 1.0 (33% vs 90%, p=0.0002), with dyspnoea cited as the limiting symptom (56% deaf vs 71% leg fatigue in hearing). Partially supporting H3, deeper hearing loss correlated with shorter TTE (r=-0.64, p=0.005) but not CMJ power.
Findings: evidence a neuro-respiratory trade-off in elite deaf female soccer players: cardiorespiratory and repeated-sprint deficits with an explosive power advantage. Fatigue appears governed by respiratory-perceptual factors rather than metabolic acidosis. This phenotype, likely from developmental neuroplasticity, necessitates individualised dual-track training.