Objective  By measuring the heart rate variability (HRV) of the national men's weightlifting team athletes, to judge their fatigue state after normal training, and to explore the application value of Gua Sha therapy of traditional Chinese medicine in the field of competitive sports.

  Methods  26 athletes of national men's weightlifting team were selected and divided into Gua Sha group and control group (13 in each group). In addition to competitive weightlifting training, the Gua Sha group received Gua Sha therapy for 12 weeks (twice a week, 24 times in total), while the control group only received competitive weightlifting training. Paired sample t-test was used for intra group comparison, and independent sample t-test was used for inter group comparison. The performance of competitive weightlifting training, heart rate variability in time domain and frequency domain, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were monitored and analyzed.

  Results  The increased scores of snatch and clean and jerk in Gua Sha Group(5.37±0.80) kg and (5.87±1.04) kg were significantly more than those in control group(1.00±0.31) kg and (1.46±0.42) kg (P < 0.05). The time domain index (P < 0.05), frequency domain indexlow frequency (P < 0.05), low frequency to high frequency ratio (P < 0.01) and PSQI (P < 0.01) of the Gua Sha group were significantly better than those of the control group, and the change of PSQI was negatively correlated with the root mean square of the sum of the squares of the difference in the time domain intermediate period (r=-0.781, P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  In the recovery of sports fatigue caused by competitive weightlifting training, reasonable Gua Sha therapy of traditional Chinese medicine can improve the recovery effect of athletes, which is embodied in the obvious enhancement of parasympathetic nerves activity in autonomic nervous regulation; Gua Sha therapy can also improve the sleep quality of athletes, so as to enhance the effect of anti-sport fatigue.