Different Aspects of Physical Load in Small-Sided Field Hockey Games

Abstract

Wilmes, E, de Ruiter, CJ, van Leeuwen, RR, Banning, LF, van der Laan, D, and Savelsbergh, GJP. Different aspects of physical load in small-sided field hockey games. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): e56-e61, 2024-Running volumes and acceleration/deceleration load are known to vary with different formats of small-sided games (SSGs) in field hockey. However, little is known about other aspects of the physical load. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain a more thorough understanding of the total physical load in field hockey SSGs. To that end, 2 different SSGs (small: 5 vs. 5, ∼100 m 2 per player; large: 9 vs. 9, ∼200 m 2 per player) were performed by 16 female elite field hockey athletes. A range of external physical load metrics was obtained using a global navigational satellite system and 3 wearable inertial measurement units on the thighs and pelvis. These metrics included distances covered in different velocity ranges (walk, jog, run, and sprint), mean absolute acceleration/deceleration, Hip Load, and time spent in several physically demanding body postures. The effects of SSG format on these external physical load metrics were assessed using linear mixed models ( p < 0.05). Running volumes in various speed ranges were higher for the large SSG. By contrast, mean absolute acceleration/deceleration and time spent in several demanding body postures were higher for the small SSG. This study shows that changing the SSG format affects different aspects of physical load differently.

Figure 1.

Short tights with inertial measurement units. Small pockets were sewn into the tights at the pelvis and about halfway the thighs on the lateral side. Inertial measurement units were inserted into these pockets. This short tight was worn underneath the hockey shorts (not on the picture).

Figure 2.

Schematic representation of measurement setup and body segment angles. Subjects wore a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) unit on their back between the scapulae and inertial measurement units (IMUs) on the pelvis and each thigh. Segment angles were defined in the body's sagittal plane between the segment and the vertical. Body segment angles are defined as positive when the body segment is in front of the hips and as negative when the body segment is behind the hips. When the player stands completely upright, all body segment angles are 0°.

Figure 3.

Individual and mean values of load metrics small-sided games (SSGs). Significant differences between the small SSGs (5 vs. 5) and the large SSGs (9 vs. 9) are denoted by an asterisk (*).