Abstract
This study aimed to analyse the effect of playing surface temperature on muscular and thermal response to a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test in football players. Thirty-two male football players (23 ± 5 years; 1.77 ± 0.06 m; 71.2 ± 6.7 kg) from two squads of a third-division football club participated in the study. An RSA test was carried out at a high surface temperature (45.34 ± 2.53 °C) and low surface temperature (27.21 ± 2.17 °C). Before and after this test, the muscular response of the players was assessed through tensiomyography and thermograms. The results revealed that performance in the RSA test particularly increased at a higher surface temperature, especially in the first 5 m of the 30 m sprint test. While a reduction in maximal radial displacement (Dm) in the biceps femoris post-RSA was observed at lower surface temperatures, a higher temperature on the thigh, hamstring and calf was found in the higher surface temperature group. In conclusion, higher surface temperatures had an influence on players’ thermal and tensiomyographic profile and improved performance in their repeated-sprint ability. These results suggest a need for coaches and players to be aware of these parameters to ensure adequate functionality and safety of the playing surface.
Highlights
This study aimed to analyse the effect of playing surface temperature on muscular and thermal response to a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test in football players
The difference in performance deterioration between the last and the first sprint was greater when the surface temperature was lower in RSADEC (+ 4.42%; CI 95% 3.53–5.30; effect size (ES): 2.07; p < 0.001) and RSACHANGE (+ 8.14%; CI 95% 5.87–10.40; ES: 2.00; p < 0.001)
Players showed a higher temperature on the thigh (+ 0.8 °C; CI 95% 0.2–1.3; ES: 1.06; p = 0.006), hamstring (+ 1.1 °C; CI 95% 0.6–1.6; ES: 1.63; p < 0.001) and calf (+ 1.0 °C; CI 95% 0.6–1.4; ES: 1.70; p < 0.001;) at a higher surface temperature; no significant differences were found between groups before the RSA test (p > 0.05)
Summary
This study aimed to analyse the effect of playing surface temperature on muscular and thermal response to a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test in football players. TMG has been identified as a reliable method for analysing the risk of injury in athletes[14] as it enables the identification of asymmetries in the lower-limb muscles and differences in muscle responses after completing fatiguing efforts such as an RSA test[29] This technique has been reported to have high reproducibility and reliability in measuring values like contraction time (Tc), half-relaxation time (Tr), delay time (Td), sustained contraction time (Ts) and maximal radial displacement of the muscle belly (Dm) for the medial vastus, lateral vastus, femoris rectus and biceps femoris muscles[14,27,28,29,30]
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