Methodological aspects of using markers for operational and stage control: from single measurements to time series analysis

Abstract

In sports metrology, there is a fundamental principle that markers of operational control, which record immediate responses to exercise, cannot be used to assess long-term adaptive changes without changing the way data is recorded and processed. However, in clinical practice and exercise physiology, blood pressure is systematically used to assess stage-specific effects, which creates a methodological contradiction. Goal. To theoretically substantiate the possibility of transforming operational markers into quasi-stage indicators by transitioning from single measurements to the analysis of aggregated characteristics of time series. Methods. The study was conducted as a methodological analysis based on data from meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials. Four conditions for transition were formulated: multiple measurements (at least 28 days, twice), the elimination of post-load effects through the median, the verification of the time series' stationarity, and the standardization of registration conditions. A step-by-step algorithm for stage assessment was developed. Results. The proposed algorithm allows you to transform blood pressure from a marker of operational control into a quasi-stage indicator without violating the basic postulate of sports metrology, but rather expanding its interpretation (the informativeness of the indicator for stage control is determined not by its biological nature, but by its frequency, standardization, and data processing method). The method is accessible, does not require complex equipment, and can be adapted for a wide range of physiological signals. Conclusion. When the formulated conditions are met, the boundary between operational and stage control becomes flexible, which opens up new opportunities for using available markers in long-term monitoring without a proportional increase in costs.