Relationships between match activities and peak power output and Creatine Kinase responses to professional reserve team soccer match-play

Abstract

The specific movement demands of soccer that are linked to post-match recovery and readiness to train are unclear. Therefore, we examined the relationship between Global Positioning System (GPS) variables and the change (Δ; from baseline) in Creatine Kinase (CK) concentrations and peak power output (PPO; during the countermovement jump) at 24h and 48h post-match. Fifteen English Premier League reserve team players were examined over 1-4 matches. Measurements of CK and PPO were taken before (24h prior to match-play) and after (+24h and +48h) each game during which movement demands were quantified using 10Hz GPS data. High intensity distance covered (r=0.386, p=0.029; r=-0.349; p=0.050), high intensity distance covered⋅min(-1) (r=0.365, p=0.040; r=-0.364, p=0.040), high speed running distance (r=0.363, p=0.041; r=-0.360, p=0.043) and the number of sprints⋅min(-1) (r=0.410, p=0.020; r=-0.368, p=0.038) were significantly related to ΔCK and ΔPPO at +24h post-match, respectively. No relationships were observed between any match variables and ΔCK and ΔPPO after +48h of recovery. These findings highlight that high intensity match activities are related to ΔCK and ΔPPO in the 24h, but not 48h, following soccer match-play. Such information is likely of interest to those responsible for the design of soccer player's training schedules in the days following a match.

Keywords: Eccentric; Fatigue; Football; GPS; Motion analysis; Muscle damage.