Adequate Interval between Matches in Elite Female Soccer Players

Abstract

The present study compared four different intervals between three simulated soccer matches for changes in muscle damage and performance parameters. Thirteen well-trained female university soccer players performed three bouts of 90-min Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) with four different intervals between bouts; one (1d), two (2d), three (3d) and four days (4d), with >12-weeks between conditions in a counterbalanced order. Heart rate, blood lactate, rating of perceived exertion and distance covered in each LIST were measured. Changes in several muscle damage markers (e.g., maximal voluntary isometric torque of the knee extensors: MVC-KE, muscle soreness), performance parameters (e.g., Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1: Yo-Yo IR1), and blood measures (e.g., osmolality, high sensitivity cardiac troponin T) before the first LIST, 1 h after each LIST, and one to five days after the third LIST were compared among the conditions. The total distance covered during the first two LISTs was not different among the conditions, but that during the third LIST was shorter (P < 0.05) for the 1d (9,416 ± 885 m) and 2d conditions (9,737 ± 246 m) than the 3d (10,052 ± 490 m) and 4d conditions (10,432 ± 538 m). Changes in all measures were smaller (P < 0.05) in the 3d and 4d conditions (e.g., the decrease in MVC-KE at one day after the third LIST was -13 ± 4% and -10 ± 3%, respectively) when compared with the 1d and 2d conditions (-20 ± 7%, -18 ± 5%). Performance parameters showed smaller (P < 0.05) changes in the 4d (e.g., the decrease in Yo-Yo IR1 at one day after the third LIST was -9 ± 3%) and 3d (-13 ± 6%) conditions when compared with the 1d (-19 ± 4%) and 2d (-20 ± 8%) conditions. These results suggest that muscle damage and fatigue accumulate when soccer matches are performed three consecutive days or every other day, but if more than three days are inserted between matches, this could be minimized.

Keywords: 30-m dash; 90-minute Loughborough intermittent shuttle test; Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1; counter movement jump; muscle damage.

Figure 1.

Experimental design and testing procedures of the study. Four conditions were based on the rest between three Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Tests (LIST = indicated by ); one (1d), two (2d), three (3d) and 4 days (4d) interval rest between three Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Tests performed consecutively by 13 participants, respectively. Time course of the measurements are indicated by X for each condition; B: baseline, one day before the first LIST, Day 1-14: days from the first LIST. The measurements in the LIST days were taken 1 hour after the LIST. All measurements were taken at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days after the last LIST for all conditions. Muscle damage measurements were also taken between the first and second, and second and third LIST; days 2 and 4 for the 2d, days 2, 3, 4, and 5 for the 3d condition, and days 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 for the 4d conditions. The measurements included maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque of the knee extensors and flexors, muscle soreness, countermovement jump, 30-m dash, 30-m timed hop, agility T-test, 6 x 10-m shuttle run and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 test, plasma creatine kinase activity, myoglobin concentration, glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity, uric acid, potassium phosphorus, high sensitivity cardiac troponin T concentrations and osmolality.

Figure 2.

Changes (mean ± SD) in the total distance covered (A), blood lactate concentration (B), heart rate (C) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, D) in the first to three (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) for the 1 (1d), 2 (2d), 3 (3d) and 4 days (4d) interval rest conditions between LISTs (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd). ^#: a significant (P<0.05) interaction effect by a two-way of repeated-measures ANOVA. *: a significant (P<0.05) difference from the baseline (i.e., 1st) value. ^§: a significant (P<0.05) difference from the 1d condition for the 3rd LIST based on the post hoc tests. ^†: a significant (P<0.05) difference from the 2d condition for the 3^rd LIST based on the post hoc tests.

Figure 3.

Changes (mean ± SD) in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque of the knee extensors (KE, A) and flexors (KF, B), muscle soreness assessed by a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) of the knee extensors (C) and knee flexors (D), plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity (E) and myoglobin (Mb) concentration (F) at baseline (pre), 1 hour (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) after each Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) performed four different of rest interval between LISTs (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd), and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days (1-5) after the last LIST for the one (1d), two (2d), three (3d) and four (4d) days of rest interval conditions. B: baseline measurements. ^#: a significant (P<0.05) interaction effect by a two-way of repeated-measures ANOVA. ns: no significant (P>0.05) interaction effect by a two-way of repeated-measures ANOVA. *: a significant (P<0.05) difference from the baseline value.

Figure 4.

Changes (mean ± SD) in countermovement jump (CMJ) height (A), 30-m dash (B), 30-m timed hop test (C), agility T-test (D), 6 x 10-m shuttle run (E) and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo IRl, F) at baseline (pre), 1 hour (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) after each Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) performed four different of rest interval between LISTs (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd), and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days (1-5) after the last LIST for the one (1d), two (2d), three (3d) and four (4d) days of rest interval conditions. B: baseline measurements. ^#: a significant (P<0.05) interaction effect by a two-way of repeated-measures ANOVA. ns: no significant (P>0.05) interaction effect by a two-way of repeated-measures ANOVA. *: a significant (P<0.05) difference from the baseline value.