As previous literature updates, I have performed a PubCrawler search looking for football articles in NCBI Medline (PubMed) and GenBank databases.
Following studies were retrieved for this week:
1 Repeated-sprint sets test: a new method for evaluating and forecasting fitness in elite young male soccer players
Reference: Sci Rep. 2024 Apr 12;14(1):8542. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-58974-z.
Authors: Mohamed Amin Selmi, Halil Ibrahim Ceylan, Raouf Hammami, Radhouane Haj Sassi, Francisco Tomás González-Fernández, Ryland Morgans, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
Summary: The objective of the current study was to explore the correlation between repeated sprint sets (RSS) ability and several physical attributes, including maximum sprint speed, maximal aerobic speed, maximal anaerobic speed, aerobic capacity, and explosive strength. Moreover, the aim was to assess the suitability of RSS as a comprehensive evaluation tool for physical qualities and to determine which physical field tests most accurately predict RSS in elite young male soccer players. A total of thirty-two young elite male soccer players (mean age 14.6 ± 0.3 years; predicted years from peak height velocity (PHV): – 0.4 ± 0.3; years in training: 3.7 ± 0.5) voluntarily participated in the study. The players participated in eight consecutive specific physical tests, with a minimum 72-h recovery between each session to minimize the impact of fatigue during the second trial. The participants completed the tests in the following order: RSS test, Vam-Eval test, a constant velocity test performed until exhaustion at 100% of vVO2max (tlim100), 20-m Multi-Stage Shuttle Run test (VMSRT), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), Maximal Anaerobic Shuttle Running Test (VMASRT), Maximal Sprinting Speed Test (20-m flying sprint), Countermovement Jump (CMJ), and Standing Long Jump test (SLJ). The results of the study showed that there were very large negative correlations between tlim100 and SST (sum of sprint times), and large negative correlations between Yo-Yo IR1, Vam-Eval, and SST during RSS in young elite male soccer players (p < 0.05). Additionally, VMASRT and SLJ demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with SST (p < 0.05). In contrast, significant positive correlations were found between 20-m flying sprint and the SST (p < 0.05). According to the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, the primary predictors of SST, ranked by importance, were tlim100 and Yo-Yo IR1. These two predictors collectively accounted for 72% of the variance in players‘ SST (p < 0.0001). Due to the importance of aerobic capacity and short repeated accelerations/sprint sets for overall competitive performance in soccer, in conclusion, our results suggest that elite young male soccer players should perform both high intensity interval training and aeorobic capactity exercises as part of soccer training if the primary outcome is to improve repeated sprint ability performance.
2 Effects of vertical and horizontal plyometric training on jump performances and sprint force-velocity profile in young elite soccer players
Reference: Eur J Appl Physiol. 2024 Apr 11. doi: 10.1007/s00421-024-05477-4. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Florian Norgeot, Alexandre Fouré
Summary: During a soccer match, horizontal acceleration ability during short sprints is determinant for performance. Development of sprint force and velocity qualites have been reported after plyometric training. However, orientation of plyometric training exercises can influence the functional performance. The purpose of this study was to compare the horizontal and vertical orientation of plyometric training on explosiveness performances and sprint force-velocity profile in young soccer players. Twenty-eight soccer players were recruited and divided in two groups: vertical (VG, n = 14) and horizontal (HG, n = 14) groups. Tests including jumps and sprint performances were conducted before and after the 8 week training period. Sprint force-velocity profile (FVP) was evaluated during a 30 m sprint test. The results demonstrated significant improvements in both VG and HG for jump performances (from + 4.9% to + 9.0%), sprint times (from -5.5% to -8.7%) and FVP parameters. Higher relative changes for the HG than for the VG were observed in 5 m and 15 m sprint times, horizontal jump lengths, and also in FVP parameters, especially improvements in maximal power (VG: + 16.4% vs. HG: + 28.1%) and in the decrease rate of horizontal orientation of force with increasing speed (HG: + 22.9%) during the 30 m sprint. Both horizontal and vertical plyometric training can be either used in young soccer players to improve vertical and horizontal performances in jump and sprint. However, horizontal plyometric training may result in a greater improvement in horizontal ballistic actions while similarly developing vertical jump qualities compared to vertical plyometric training in young soccer players.
3 Soccer and volleyball players do not land differently: implications for anterior cruciate ligament injury risk
Reference: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2024 Apr 10. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.15769-6. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Claudia Brunetti, Rodrigo Rabello, Nicholas Poletti, Lucas Silva Zandonato, Alice Ranzini, Filippo Bertozzi, Chiarella Sforza
Summary: Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries are common in soccer and volleyball, occurring during changes of direction and landings. This study aimed to investigate kinematic differences between soccer and volleyball players in single-planar and multiplanar landing tasks, simulating sport-specific injury mechanisms. Since the anterior cruciate ligament injury rate in soccer is higher than in volleyball, we hypothesized that volleyball players would adopt safer landing strategies, especially in single-planar landing tasks. Twenty-two soccer and 19 volleyball players performed single-leg drop landing, drop jump in vertical, 45°-medial and 45°-lateral directions. Box height and jump length were adapted to the subject’s height and performance level, respectively. A 9-camera motion capture system provided lower limb kinematics. Two mixed multivariate analyses of covariance (sport, task, sex as covariate) were used to compare soccer and volleyball players‘ initial contact and peak kinematics (α=0.05). Task had significant effects on lower limb initial contact and peak angles, as expected. Sport and task × sport interaction had no significant effects on kinematics. Soccer and volleyball players‘ landing strategies were thus similar in each task, in opposition to initial hypotheses. We might speculate that the higher anterior cruciate ligament injury rate in soccer may be more related to non-predictable factors than the isolated landing kinematics.
4 The 11+ injury prevention programme decreases rate of hamstring strain injuries in male collegiate soccer players
Reference: Br J Sports Med. 2024 Apr 10;. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Holly Silvers-Granelli, Richard Silverman, Mario Bizzini, Kristian Thorborg, Robert H Brophy
Summary: The aim was to investigate if the 11+ injury prevention programme decreases the risk of hamstring injury and improves recovery time and determine whether compliance with the 11+ affects hamstring injury risk. This study is a secondary analysis from a prospective cluster randomised controlled trial that included 65 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) division I and II men’s soccer teams over the fall 2012 season. Thirty-one teams were randomised to the intervention group that were using the 11+ as their warm-up and 35 teams to the control group that continued to use their traditional warm-up. Each certified athletic trainer (ATC) collected data on demographics, hamstring injury (HSI), mechanism of injury, position, playing surface, time lost due to injury and compliance to the 11+ programme. The 11+ decreased the risk of HSI by 63% compared with the control group (RR=0.37, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.63). Difference in return to play after HSI between the control (9.4±11.2 days) and intervention groups (10.2±11.3 days) was not significant (p=0.8). High compliance (>2 or more doses on average per week) reduced the risk of HSI by 78% (RR=0.22, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.87) compared with low compliance (<1 dose on average per week), and moderate compliance (1 to <2 doses on average per week) decreased the risk of HSI by 67% (RR=0.33, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.97) compared with low compliance. There was no significant difference between high and moderate compliance. The 11+ decreased the risk of HSI by 63% but did not improve recovery time. High to moderate compliance is essential and makes the programme more effective at reducing HSI.
5 Relationship between Workload, Psychological State and Sleep in Female Soccer Athletes
Reference: Int J Sports Med. 2024 Apr 10. doi: 10.1055/a-2304-3694. Online ahead of print.
Authors: John Long, Denver Brown, John Farrell, Matthew Gonzalez, Kelly Martell Cheever
Summary: This study assessed the multifaceted relations between measures of workload, psychological state, and recovery throughout an entire soccer season. A prospective longitudinal study was utilized to measure workload (GPS training load, RPE), psychological state (mental stress, mental fatigue, and mood), and recovery (sleep duration, sleep quality, and soreness), across ninety observations. Separate linear-mixed effect models were used to assess outcomes of RPE, soreness, and sleep duration. A linear mixed-effects model explained 59% of the variance in RPE following each session. Specifically, each standard deviation increase in GPS load and mental stress in the morning prior to training increased RPE by 1.46(SE=0.08) and 0.29(SE= 0.07) respectively, following that day’s training. Furthermore, a significant interaction was found between several predictor variables and chronological day in the season while predicting RPE. Specifically, for each standard deviation increase in GPS load, RPE went up by 0.055 per day across the season suggesting that load had a higher impact on RPE as the season progressed. In contrast, the interaction of day by mental stress, sleep duration, and soreness continued to be stronger as the season progressed. Each linear mixed-effect model predicted a larger amount of variance when accounting for individual variations in the random effects.
6 Exploring soccer transfers in Spanish League-The hidden role of strategic differences among teams
Reference: PLoS One. 2024 Apr 9;19(4):e0299853. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299853. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Paulo Reis Mourao, Jesyca Salgado-Barandela
Download link: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299853
Summary: Transfers in the football world have become a hot topic in academic studies in recent years. Spanish league (La Liga) is one of the men’s professional football leagues that have driven some of the most notorious transfers. In this way, we test determinants for the transfer relationships of football players in the Spanish League in the most expensive seasons with records (2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons). Furthermore, we identify determinants for the values of the observed transfers. The empirical analysis shows relevant findings. We recognize two implications. First, Spanish soccer transfers are not random and this evidence reflects the environment of imperfect competition characterizing La Liga. Second, the nonrandomness of the transfer process can be associated with an increasing inequality among teams and with a threat to the competitive balance in professional sports.
7 The interaction between acute emotional states and executive functions in youth elite soccer players
Reference: Front Psychol. 2024 Mar 25:15:1348079. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1348079. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Simon Knöbel, Henrietta Weinberg, Florian Heilmann, Franziska Lautenbach
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10999690/pdf/fpsyg-15-1348079.pdf
Summary: Executive functions (EFs) are relevant for game performance in soccer and have been investigated in previous research. However, emotions are a well-known performance factor in sport competitions, which may affect performance by means of EFs. The diagnostic of EFs has mainly been performed disregarding the potential impact of emotional states. Thus, we aimed to initially analyze interaction between emotional states and EFs in two studies with male youth elite soccer players. In the first study, 105 players (Mage = 14.97) completed computerized tasks assessing inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory. In the second study, 92 players (Mage = 15.17) performed adapted and validated tests of inhibition (n = 45) or cognitive flexibility (n = 47) in a soccer-specific setting (SoccerBot360). Emotional and affective states were assessed using the German Sport Emotion Questionnaire and self-assessment manikins. For the computerized tasks, results showed a significant negative correlation between switch costs accuracy and tension, r = 0.28, indicating lower error rates with higher levels of tension. In contrast, in the SoccerBot360 we found significant positive correlations for response time and tension (no-switch: r = 0.38; switch: r = 0.39) representing prolonged response times related to tension. Further, for soccer-specific inhibition, positive emotions were significantly positively correlated with response time (congruent: r = 0.32; incongruent: r = 0.32). Subsequent regression analyses also demonstrate that valence and arousal effectively explain variance in cognitive performance parameters under neutral conditions. Accordingly, the ambiguity of the results suggests high variability in EF performance, affective and emotional states as well as a potentially moderating influence of other variables such as context and task difficulty. Thus, future cognitive diagnostic research should integrate assessments of emotional and affective states as these may contribute to situational fluctuations in EF performance.
8 Effects of bi-hemispheric anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on soccer player performance: a triple-blinded, controlled, and randomized study
Reference: Front Sports Act Living. 2024; 6: 1350660. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1350660
Authors: Jader Vinicius Da Silva Rocha, Rodrigo Freire de Almeida, Bárbara Naeme de Lima Cordeiro, Carlos Henrique Cardoso Sarcinelli, Carla Zimerer, Fernando Zanela Arêas
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10995377/pdf/fspor-06-1350660.pdf
Summary: The search for increased performance and physical performance are linked to the use of ergogenic resources. The vertical jump is one of the measures commonly used to evaluate the performance of lower limbs in athletes. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, safe, economically viable technique that can modulate cortical excitability, which can influence the increase in the performance of athletes in general. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of tDCS on the primary motor cortex (M1) improves the performance of soccer players. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Twenty-seven players were randomized into three groups: Active tDCS group (n = 9), Sham group (n = 9), and control group (n = 9). Stimulation was applied at 2 mA for 15 min using a cephalic mount. Visual Pain Scale (VAS) and Subjective Recovery Scale (SRS) were monitored before and after tDCS. In addition, the participants performed the Countermovement Jump (CMJ) before and after the stimulation intercalated with Heart Rate (HR) and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE CR-10). No differences were found in any of the performance variables analyzed (p > 0.05) nor in the responses of HR (p > 0.05), RPE (p > 0.05), VAS (p > 0.05), and SRS (p > 0.05) between groups. The tDCS in M1 did not change the performance of the vertical jump, and there was no improvement in the subjective scales. New studies should also be developed with different stimulus intensities in different cortical areas and sports modalities.
9 Severe cardiovascular events among spectators of Spanish professional soccer league before and after COVID-19 onset
10 Editorial: The youth elite football players
Reference: Front Sports Act Living. 2024 Mar 22:6:1399143. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1399143. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Thomas Rostgaard Andersen, James J Malone, Morten Bredsgaard Randers
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10995368/pdf/fspor-06-1399143.pdf
11 Injury prevention in Brazilian women’s football: Perceptions of physiotherapists and practices within elite clubs
Reference: Phys Ther Sport. 2024 Apr 6:67:68-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.04.001. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Karoline Baptista Vianna, Letícia Oscar Ribas, Lívia Gonçalves Rodrigues, Gabriela Bissani Gasparin, Luciana De Michelis Mendonça, Bruno Manfredini Baroni
Download link: https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/272404/1-s2.0-S1466853X24X00036/1-s2.0-S1466853X24000440/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEFMaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIH3hbGc3O0gaXVBtYXeXEmDCbLgvRPIuPXJpKvt1RnoEAiEAzm%2BW1Asr36gn9dkj5cpcbU0ms2%2BKgAoSxbeOBc5bBJ4qvAUIjP%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDJL1U3MeZqgjve3cfiqQBerH3C26%2Ft4beFPNiyxJSUxa1kYLCn1ivd%2BzwXeoBtm4Z4A3gB1Mc5hwBOBimXAZb7qB3zHrCovmz25nMtti6XFLFLUSuOYmF19u0whAq62EPYeQs7pN2uKuz%2FyIO%2F0XNCq59hTi2GIpC08lujZ1ejqCXnRh%2FX6gDKyxUdZR8iKMh7FdadRaqQZsp6K66t%2B%2BO8HfMf7dV%2B9LUvDRvK458XxT7r8MRUeOy8q3Trr7AxiZx2ba6TsxDHs4RVTPGGmpAxmrHLCawgrlXxT1Wi3WX%2FRYeSWDzT8%2FNt8MgzpeFWt1vRerRZ3nqyxt%2BhK2xYJZSLpGG2hF%2BK63n7FvPKSQYfdbHoPsxXNkWFVuSbn6c%2FUjWdlVKxxS1j21O3DfaZcJz0Ot%2FxLgbZS45j9av4jWJHOMbuT9hgDVv6AUfHvGUAytmsYgmNyfVVavMfwUKpPkDq2HOnIem6gKv5fAU1qz9y2GPRGU6ps%2BQMWHey2Igji0FSmIqlZJ7mcTthqCgIzDSDLUinj2pMQC46LCsd7a%2B12Ztz4hc95ZjKi%2BtVv3mBkiqgWjbLhk8NbBf4mKCfYoYB7jNdkiFo3WgwVkTlvnPnTamXPPX1EEwdPE3E2miZDLEiq6PiFuvmMNoVRSnwZPpHkV44kvtcWuZz6bmfqc%2B3c71SIEhg6%2BtmVKx%2FTV6%2FXe%2FU28YD5Vp7gkLpLfOAUvkaj2GEzQcbb6kFmkTeOFkECi7l78FJ%2Fg2kWeECs6goAjWTfITH6IFCxg5B1lpOTUZDISbER8NKJwXaqw9TYOyjo1z%2Btt6SITh2TLVKKntbzFD0ZI8difzPMyuJELGU1Gky0mDu%2FsXJOW6%2FuNxTncdF4PtM%2FGVr2C7KgE%2FhYa94FXMMbr7rAGOrEBUs69K7ocrIYPCGLkD%2FlYOBtruMx8bjqIo8ztQPh371pzN%2F%2F0%2BE5lm9cX2ixs13eCqLxfXQPubNreCGi%2B7IhZPujV32GMyP3GWmsh5Ptx1sE0Y5rJ4Zqj24%2BzVEo7kwFGFOiGHvorkCTyqihfWaLf1OH%2BNsgPqae0tRO8%2FVb2%2BtQaIGPlBP7pqcDiYaXHw2SH20R%2BR0P2EyON2LjuW4l0I7EaptUJkwy8UvdUbTSWAqcp&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240414T115916Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYS6IWGWVG%2F20240414%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=abdf2a36378167a1c900e1704bd8df0b349d427c04cb04aa55c0573fe589f005&hash=cf00b8cd6c3572be4f21369e7df247b0035955d868d991393bb091e04b6c0f88&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S1466853X24000440&tid=spdf-23e0c1ac-3199-4105-a27f-68d9d0137d49&sid=96ada1ee88761945dc1b298570b162d9ddc8gxrqa&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=02035856555257595101&rr=8743875e584d37f6&cc=de
Summary: The aim was to describe the perceptions of physiotherapists and the injury prevention practices implemented within elite women’s football clubs in Brazil. Head physiotherapists from 32 Brazilian elite clubs participated in this study. Physiotherapists identified ACL rupture as the primary target for prevention. The top-five perceived injury risk factors included ‚early return to sport after injury‘, ‚workload too high‘, ‚previous injury‘, ‚poor sleep/rest‘, and ‚muscle strength/power deficit‘. ‚Adoption of return to sport criteria‘ was almost unanimously recognized as a very important preventive strategy. ‚Poor infrastructure‘ was elected as the main barrier to implementing prevention programs. From a practical standpoint, at least two-third of clubs implemented multi-component exercise interventions for injury prevention. These interventions typically encompassed flexibility/mobility, balance/proprioception, lumbo-pelvic stability, and agility exercises, alongside exposure to sprinting. Strength training routines typically included traditional, functional, and eccentric exercises. Most teams also employed other prevention strategies, including adoption of return to sport criteria, internal workload monitoring, post-exercise recovery modalities, preseason risk factor screening, and application of rigid strapping tapes. This study provided unprecedented insights into the physiotherapists‘ perceptions and injury prevention practices implemented within elite women’s football clubs.
12 Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights into effective training strategies for physical development in football
Reference: Int J Sports Sci Coach. 2023 Apr;18(2):403-413. doi: 10.1177/17479541221081782. Epub 2022 Apr 14.
Authors: Liam Anderson, Craig Flannigan, Paraskevas Polychronopoulos, Robbie MacKenzie, Barry Drust, Jordan Milsom
Summary: Professional soccer players typically perform regular training sessions and match play for most of the yearly macrocycle with limited time focused on solely developing physical development. The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 caused mass disruption to professional soccer but provided an opportunity for an alternative approach to training in attempt to develop professional soccer players physical fitness levels. In a non-randomised and non-controlled study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of a 13-week remote based physical training programme on physical fitness levels in elite professional soccer players. Twenty professional soccer players undertook body composition assessments, a countermovement jump (CMJ) test, eccentric hamstring strength test and a submaximal 30-15 intermittent fitness test (IFT) pre- and post-remote based training programme. Body mass (79.3 ± 6.7 vs. 80.0 ± 7.3 kg), skinfold thickness (54.1 ± 14.8 vs. 56.7 ± 15.2 mm), maximum CMJ height (38.4 ± 3.4 vs. 40.9 ± 4.1 cm), eccentric hamstring strength (1035 ± 158 vs. 1009 ± 140 n) and percentage max heart rate reached in submaximal 30-15 IFT (81.3 ± 5.2 vs. 82.3 ± 7.3%) were maintained (all P > 0.05) from pre- to post training programme, respectively. Although team-based soccer specific training load was removed, and the training programmes prescribed had an increased physical focus, fitness levels were maintained. This suggests that alternative modes of training can potentially be used in instances where team-based soccer specific training load isn’t required or is unavailable, without negatively impacting physical development.
13 The Impact of Injury on Career Progression in Elite Youth Football-Findings at 10 Years
Reference: J Clin Med. 2024 Mar 26;13(7):1915. doi: 10.3390/jcm13071915.
Authors: Yannic Bangert, Ayham Jaber, Raphael Trefzer, Severin Zietzschmann, Kevin-Arno Koch, Ralph Kern, Jan Spielmann, Tobias Renkawitz, Johannes Weishorn
Summary: There is a lack of evidence regarding the impact of time loss, match exposure, and age at injury on career progression in elite football. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify injury characteristics and their influence on career progression in a German youth academy. During the 2012/2013 season, a prospective cohort study reported 107 time-loss injuries among 130 young athletes from an elite German soccer academy. Individual career progression was analyzed using 10-year data. Injuries and time loss were not associated with career progression (p > 0.05) in the overall cohort. In the U17 and U19 groups, 24% were able to reach the professional level, with injuries significantly decreasing this probability (p = 0.002). Injuries lasting more than 28 days had a negative impact on career progression compared to minor injuries (30% vs. 10%; p = 0.02). Not only the characteristics of injuries, but also their impact on career development, vary with age. In the U17 and U19 age groups, serious injuries resulting in more than 28 days of absence have a negative impact on career progression. It is important to be aware of these effects in order to focus on the prevention of long-term injuries to ensure the optimal development of young athletes.
14 Eating Disorders Risk Assessment and Body Esteem among Amateur and Professional Football Players
Reference: Nutrients. 2024 Mar 25;16(7):945. doi: 10.3390/nu16070945.
Authors: Wiktoria Staśkiewicz-Bartecka, Marek Kardas
Summary: The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of eating disorders and attitudes toward one’s own body among football players at amateur and professional levels. The study included 90 players from football clubs located in the Upper Silesia Metropolitan Area, participating in the 4th and 5th leagues in Poland. A survey questionnaire was used to conduct the study, which consisted of a metric section, an Eating Attitudes Test, and Body Esteem Scale questionnaires. The players were divided into two groups according to their sports level. Results showed that 24.4% of players were overweight, while 75.6% had a normative body weight. Approximately 16.7% met the criteria indicating susceptibility to an eating disorder. Body Esteem Scale interpretations revealed moderate body appraisal among players. Both amateur and professional athletes showed no significant difference in eating disorder risk, but professionals rated their bodies higher. Social media use, particularly on Twitter and Instagram, is correlated with eating disorders, with longer daily use associated with lower body ratings.
15 Correlations of Aerobic Capacity with External and Internal Load of Young Football Players during Small-Sided Games
Reference: Sensors (Basel). 2024 Apr 1;24(7):2258. doi: 10.3390/s24072258. Author: Yiannis Michailidis
Summary: Aerobic capacity plays a crucial role in football performance, making it a focal point in training processes. Small-sided games (SSGs) are widely used in football training, but the relationship between aerobic capacity and running performance during SSGs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlations between maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and running performance in youth football players in SSGs (4:4, 3:3, 2:2, 1:1) with three different pitch sizes per player (150, 100, 75 m2/player). Sixteen male U15 football players participated in the study. Players underwent the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1, and their VO2max was estimated based on their performance. Subsequently, players participated in SSGs wearing GPS devices to measure internal and external load. Pearson or Spearman correlation was applied for statistical analysis depending on the normal distribution of the data. The results reveal that, for 4:4 and 3:3 relationships, larger pitches led to a greater impact of aerobic capacity (total distance (TD): 4:4, 150 m2/pl, r = 0.715, p = 0.002; 100 m2/pl, r = 0.656, p = 0.006; 75 m2/pl, r = 0.586, p = 0.017). In the 2:2 relationship, the opposite was observed, with more correlations appearing on smaller pitches (TD: 2:2, 100 m2/pl, r = 0.581, p = 0.018; 75 m2/pl, r = 0.747, p < 0.001). In the 1:1 relationship, correlations with VO2max, total distance, and speed were observed only on the larger pitch. In conclusion, the aerobic capacity of young football players can influence running performance indicators in SSGs. Therefore, aerobic capacity could serve as a criterion for team composition, making SSGs more competitive. Additionally, the variation in correlations in the 2:2 relationship and their limited presence in the 1:1 relationship may be attributed to technical-tactical factors, such as increased ball contacts and one-on-one situations typically occurring in smaller setups.