Muscle Damage Biomarkers in Congestion Weeks in English Premier League Soccer Players: A Prospective Study for Two Consecutive Seasons

Álvaro García-Romero-Pérez, Francisco Javier Ordonez, Fernando Reyes-Gil, Elena Sonsoles Rodríguez-López and Ángel Oliva-Pascual-Vaca
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Álvaro García-Romero-Pérez: Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation Department, Watford FC, Watford WD18 0ER, UK
Francisco Javier Ordonez: School of Sports Medicine, University of Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain
Fernando Reyes-Gil: Physiotherapy Department, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain
Elena Sonsoles Rodríguez-López: Physiotherapy Department, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain
Ángel Oliva-Pascual-Vaca: Physiotherapy Department, Universidad of Sevilla, 41004 Sevilla, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-12

Abstract: The current study was conducted to compare muscle damage biomarkers in single- vs. multi-match weeks in elite soccer players for two consecutive seasons. A secondary objective was to analyze the influence of playing position and exposure time on muscle damage in single- vs. multi-match weeks. This is a prospective cohort study performed in a professional elite soccer club in the English Premier League during the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 seasons up until the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the Medical Department Room of an English Premier League Club before and after the soccer game from a total of 29 elite soccer players (mean ± S.D.; age = 27.59 ± 3.83 years; height = 1.83 ± 0.05 m; body mass = 80.16 ± 7.45 kg) who were enrolled in the club during both seasons. The main outcome measurements were creatine kinase (CK), weight, lean mass, % fat DEXA, high speed running, total distance, density of total distance and high-speed running and wellbeing questionnaires. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Players who completed more than 60 min in the previous game had significantly increased pregame CK levels and fatigue in multi-match weeks. Midfielders had both significantly increased pregame CK and muscle soreness in multi-match weeks. Midfielders and players with an exposure time of at least 60 min showed higher pregame CK values that should play a key role for deciding substitutions.

Keywords: soccer; creatine kinase; muscle damage; fatigue; GPS; high speed running (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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