Muscle Oxygen Desaturation and Re-Saturation Capacity Limits in Repeated Sprint Ability Performance in Women Soccer Players: A New Physiological Interpretation

Abstract

Muscle oxygen consumption could provide information on oxidative metabolism in women soccer players. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze muscle oxygenation dynamics during repeated sprint ability (RSA): (8 sprint × 20 s recovery) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The sample was made up of 38 professional women soccer players. To measure the external load, the best time, worst time, average time, individual speed, sprint decrement, and power were assessed. In connection with the internal load, the desaturation (sprint) and re-saturation (recovery) rates, as well as the oxygen extraction (∇%SmO2) in the gastrocnemius muscle and maximum heart rate (%HRmax) were measured. A repeated measures statistic was applied based on the inter-individual response of each subject from the baseline versus the other sprints, with linear regression and nonlinear regression analyses between variables. There was an increase in the SmO2: desaturation rate after four sprints (Δ = 32%), in the re-saturation rate after six sprints (Δ = 89%), and in ∇%SmO2 after four sprints (Δ = 72.1%). There was a linear association between the rates of desaturation and re-saturation relationships and the worst time (r = 0.85), and a non-linear association between ∇%SmO2 and speed (r = 0.89) and between ∇%SmO2 and the sprint decrease (r = 0.93). The progressive increase in SmO2 during RSA is a performance limitation to maintain a high speed; it depends on the capacity of fatigue resistance. Therefore, monitoring the muscle oxygenation dynamics could be a useful tool to evaluate the performance in women soccer players.

Training zones through muscle oxygen saturation during a graded exercise test in cyclists and triathletes

“…Through such treatment, we were able to narrow down the problem. Similarly, studies have not reported measurement problems using this methodology [ 31 , 32 ]. The contribution of our study is that it presents the difference of work in VT1 and VT2 with SmO 2 .…”

The Oxidative–Glycolytic Balance Influenced by Sprint Duration Is Key during Repeated Sprint in Hypoxia

“…Moreover, 20:40 induced a more complete reoxygenation during recovery phase (i.e., lower [HHb] min and higher [tHb] max) compared with 5:10 and 10:20. This would suggest a greater inhibitory effect of the nitric oxide on vascular vasoconstriction, inducing a larger hyperemia (40). The higher metabolite (K + , lactate) accumulation during 20:40 may contribute to both vasorelaxation and hyperemia (41).…”

Usefulness of Portable Device to Establish Differences in Muscle Oxygenation Between the Wingate Test and Graded Exercise Test: Effect of Gender on Anaerobic and Aerobic Capacity in Speed Skaters

“…To our knowledge, this is the first research paper comparing SmO 2 responses in speed skaters between two different types of exercise tests. Previous studies ( Buchheit and Ufland, 2011 ; Nagasawa, 2013 ; Paquette et al, 2020 ; Vasquez-Bonilla et al, 2021 ) examined recovery following WAnT and short-term efforts in kayak and football players, or the rate of reoxygenation following maximal aerobic exercise test ( Ichimura et al, 2006 ). One of the study’s limitations is the differences in baseline SmO 2 values found among speed skaters could be due to the slightly different phase of measurement, i.e., 2 min after the warm-up in WAnT (affecting better blood supply and muscle oxygenation) and at rest before GXT, ( Figure 1 ) or slight position change of the NIRS device.…”