Previous day's exercise does not affect indicators of physiological stress measured during practice in male collegiate soccer players

Abstract

Exercise, including participation in athletics, induces physiological stress. To determine if previous bouts of exercise alter physiological stress induced by a strenuous soccer practice, healthy male collegiate soccer players (n = 14) participated in two identical practices, one following a game day and the other after a rest day. After a 30‐minute baseline period, subjects participated in a 90‐minute practice, which included warm‐ups, ball drills, sprints, and scrimmage. Salivary cortisol levels were measured twice during baseline, thrice during practice, and once after practice. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured in a subset of participants (n =6). Fifty‐meter timed sprints, used to compare athletic performance of participants between practices, were the same on both days (7.28 ± 0.13 and 7.26 ± 0.17 sec, after rest and after game, respectively). Although exercise induced an increase in all measured parameters, there was no difference in salivary cortisol levels (0.252 ± 0.023 and 0.235 ± 0.016 μg/dL), HR (107 ± 5 and 99 ± 3 beats/min), or diastolic BP (80 ± 1 and 77 ± 2 mmHg) between practices; however, systolic BP was significantly different (141 ± 5 and 133 ± 4 mmHg; p < 0.01). Therefore, the physiological stress induced during a practice is not different the day after a game compared to the day after a rest day. V. Dautermann was supported by the Beloit College Biomedical Scholars Program.