Resumen de Physical Response to a Simulated Period of Soccer-Specific Fixture Congestion

Richard M. Page, Kelly Marrin, Chris M. Brogden, Matt Greig

• The aim of this study was to assess the physiological, perceptual, and mechanical measures associated with the completion of a simulated period of short-term soccer-specific fixture congestion. Ten male semiprofessional soccer players completed 3 trials of a treadmill-based match simulation, with 48 hours interspersing each trial. A repeated measures general linear model identified significantly (p = 0.02) lower knee flexor peak torque (PT) recorded at 300[degrees][middle dot]s-1 in the second (141.27 +/- 28.51 N[middle dot]m) and third trials (139.12 +/- 26.23 N[middle dot]m) when compared with the first trial (154.17 +/- 35.25 N[middle dot]m). Similarly, muscle soreness (MS) and PT data recorded at 60[degrees][middle dot]s-1 were significantly (p <= 0.05) different in the third trial (MS = 42 +/- 25 a.u; PT60 = 131.10 +/- 35.38 N[middle dot]m) when compared with the first trial (MS = 29 +/- 29 a.u; PT60 = 145.61 +/- 42.86 N[middle dot]m). Significant (p = 0.003) differences were also observed for mean electromyography (EMGmean) of bicep femoris between the third trial (T0-15 = 126.36 +/- 15.57 [mu]V; T75-90 = 52.18 +/- 17.19 [mu]V) and corresponding time points in the first trial (T0-15 = 98.20 +/- 23.49 [mu]V; T75-90 = 99.97 +/- 39.81 [mu]V). Cumulative increases in perceived exertion, heart rate, oxygen consumption, blood lactate concentrations, EMGmean, and PlayerLoad (PL) were recorded across each trial. Muscle soreness and PT were also significantly different after trial. There were, however, no significant main effects or interactions for the salivary immunoglobulin A and the medial-lateral PL metrics. These data suggest a biomechanical and muscular emphasis with residual fatigue, with implications for injury risk and the development of recovery strategies.