Football training session rises creatine kinase but does not impair performance

Abstract

Determine the relationship between changes in oxidative stress markers, muscle damage, DOMS, and their relationship with performance in response to a session of football training during a 1-week recovery period of young football players. Methods: Nineteen young football players aged 16.7±1.0 years were included in the study. After initial evaluation for basal levels of oxidative stress and muscle damage markers, DOMS, and performance testing (Vertical Jump, Agility T-test, and RAST potency test), the athletes were submitted to a routine training session composed of squatting exercises, followed by a simulated football match of 45 minutes. Athletes were reevaluated for 3 consecutive days (24h, 48h, and 72h after the training session) during the recovery week. Results: An elevated DOMS score in the quadriceps and posterior thigh (P<0.05) and serum CK was observed 24h to 72h after the training session. Despite elevated DOMS and CK muscle damage markers, no changes were observed in the vertical jump test, RAST potency test, or agility T-test during the recovery week. In addition, no changes in the oxidative stress markers analyzed MDA, AOPP, and GSH were observed during the recovery week. Conclusion: Training sessions with squatting exercises and simulated matches promote a rise in CK and DOMS, but not sufficient to impair physical performance during the training week in young players.

Relationship Between Body Size and Skeletal Age with Muscle Damage in Young Soccer Players

“…Furthermore, the great variability of ethnicities in local samples may have influenced the findings of the present study, since black individuals have higher concentrations of blood indicators of muscle damage 41 45 . Although the manual measurement of DOMS is a typical and valid protocol method 19 29 30 , DOMS measured in the present study has limitations, once the coefficient of variation in each measure was not calculated. The external load data quantified by GPS units must be analyzed with caution, since a tendency of underestimating data recorded at high speeds is common in this system 46 .…”

“…In this sense, the elevation of CK, LDH and DOMS values observed immediately after the match (0 h) in both categories was, in a way expected, once the soccer match is able to generate physical and physiological wear in players, as these markers tend to remain elevated immediately after the soccer match 12 13 . Studies involving young soccer players that investigated blood markers of muscle damage and DOMS beyond time 0 h found that the blood marker of muscle damage remained elevated between 24 h 18 36 and up to 72 hours after the soccer match 19 . The results obtained in this study are similar, once blood markers of muscle damage remained elevated up to 24 h (U-15) and DOMS between 48 h and 72 h (U-15 and U-13 categories, respectively).…”

“…DOMS was determined using scale with values from 0 to 10, where zero represents "No Pain" and 10 the "Worst Possible Pain" similar to previously used protocols [19,29,30]. Briefly, only a single evaluator performed all pressure evaluations.…”

“…However, despite several studies involving young soccer players showing that blood markers of muscle damage and DOMS are affected after physical exertion of the soccer match 9 17 18 19 , none of these studies investigated the degree of association of morphological variables related to the progress in the biological maturation process on damage and DOMS behavior after a soccer match. Therefore, understanding the associations of body size indicators and SA on blood indicators of muscle damage and DOMS allows physical training professionals to make equitable adjustments in the training environment, assisting in decision-making due to exposure to high loads or to physically more exhausting activities at the appropriate time, taking into account the biological individuality of the young athlete, thus favoring the adequate physical development of these individuals, who are in the accelerated growth age group.…”

“…This is because the extravasation of CK and LDH enzymes into the bloodstream occurs mainly due to a series of cellular and tissue micro damages generated by the mechanical action of high-intensity muscle contraction, as well as by the frequent physical contacts suffered by athletes during matches [9][10][11]. In addition, the physical stress of a soccer match is also capable of generating inflammation, osmotic pressure and edema at cellular level, stimulating neural changes in nociceptors, generating sensitivity to the pain sensation [14][15][16] However, despite several studies involving young soccer players showing that blood markers of muscle damage and DOMS are affected after physical exertion of the soccer match [9,[17][18][19], none of these studies investigated the degree of association of morphological variables related to the progress in the biological maturation process on damage and DOMS behavior after a soccer match. Therefore, understanding the associations of body size indicators and SA on blood indicators of muscle damage and DOMS allows physical training professionals to make equitable adjustments in the training environment, assisting in decision-making due to exposure to high loads or to physically more exhausting activities at the appropriate time, taking into account the biological individuality of the young athlete, thus favoring the adequate physical development of these individuals, who are in the accelerated growth age group.…”