Match characteristics of professional outfield amputee soccer players during official amputee soccer matches

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate physiological responses and movement profiles of amputee soccer players during official matches. Material and Methods: Five outfield amputee soccer players with a 9.20±0.81 years of amputee soccer experience (age 28.60±5.32 years; height 1.71±0.05 m; body mass 71.54±9.39 kg) volunteered for this study. Physiological responses [blood lactate (BLa), heart rate (HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE)] and activity profiles [peak speed, total distance covered (TD), TD at five speed categories (SC), percentages of TD at five SC and time spent in four maximal heart rate (HRmax) zones] were analyzed during seven official amputee soccer matches. Results: Mean game BLa, RPE, HR and HRmax were 5.58±1.63 mmol.L-1, 9.43±2.62, and 151.77±16.05 bpm and 180.74±9.23 bmp, respectively. HRmax was higher in the first half than in the second half (p=0.02). Players covered 102.62±7.24 m.min-1 and this did not change between the halves during amputee soccer matches (p=0.40). TD at very low SC was 73.86±0.57 m.min-1 whereas TD at very high SC accounted only for 0.24±0.04 m.min-1. Similarly, the percentage of the TD at very low SC was 70.18±10.30% and the percentage of the TD at very high SC was 0.24±0.04%. Amputee soccer players spent ~31 min and ~15 min at high intensity and moderate HRmax zones, respectively. These accounted only about ~5 min at very low and low intensity HRmax zones during whole matches. Conclusion: These results showed that amputee soccer played at the professional level is a high-intensity exercise, which could be used to prescribe amputee soccer specific training regimes.