Athletic Performance, Exercise-induced Inflammation, Exercise Physiology, Exercise Test, Inflammation, Muscle Damage, Physical Fitness, Pre-season Training, Soccer
Conditions
Keywords
Pre-season training, Match-play exposure, Physiological adaptation, Biochemical markers, Recovery strategies, Training intensity, Physiological stress, Football, Aerobic-anaerobic, Effect, Athletic, Performance adaptation
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of varying friendly match-play exposure during the late pre-season on physiological, biochemical, and performance adaptations in soccer players. It is hypothesized that (i) significant changes will occur across the pre-season in both the extended- and limited-play groups when analysed independently; (ii) distinct group-specific adaptations will emerge by the end of the preparatory period; and (iii) match-play exposure, when analysed across all participants, will be significantly correlated with physiological and performance outcomes at pre-season completion. Players from a randomly selected team will be assessed at three time points: pre-season start, mid-pre-season (MPS), and pre-competition phase (PC). Assessments will include anthropometry, physical performance, and markers of muscle damage, inflammation, hormonal status, and haematology. Based on the total match-play time of 8 friendly games during the late pre-season, players will be retrospectively categorised into extended-play (EP) and limited-play (LP) cohorts.time of 8 friendly games during the late pre-season, players will be retrospectively categorised into extended-play (EP) and limited-play (LP) cohorts.
Interventions
OTHERFriendly Match-Play Exposure: extended vs. limited
This research explores the multidimensional physiological and biochemical responses to differing volumes of friendly match-play (i.e., extended vs. limited) during the late pre-season phase in soccer players.
Sponsors
Emmanouil D. Zacharakis
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male participants * Aged 18 years or older * Non-smokers * Injury-free for the past 6 months * Medication-free for the past 6 months * Abstinent from alcohol * Living at an altitude below 1500 meters * Committed exclusively to soccer (no participation in other sports)
Exclusion criteria
* History of serious injuries (e.g., fractures, ligament tears) within the past 6 months * Chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or respiratory disorders * Current use of performance-enhancing drugs or supplements * Participation in non-soccer-related sports or activities during the study period
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Body Mass | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Body mass measured at standard anatomical sites using a calibrated scale to track longitudinal changes over the pre-season. Unit of Measure: kg |
| Body Fat | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Body fat percentage measured using skinfold calipers at standard sites to monitor longitudinal changes. Unit of Measure: % |
| Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Participants rate exertion during standardized training sessions using the Borg Scale (6 = no exertion, 20 = maximal exertion). Unit of Measure: Borg 6-20 scale |
| Glucose | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Fasting blood glucose measured to track metabolic changes over pre-season. Unit of Measure: mg/dL |
| Cholesterol | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Total serum cholesterol measured to assess lipid profile adaptations. Unit of Measure: mg/dL |
| Triglycerides | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum triglycerides measured to monitor metabolic response to training. Unit of Measure: mg/dL |
| SGOT (AST) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase measured to assess liver/muscle stress. Unit of Measure: U/L |
| SGPT (ALT) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase measured to monitor liver/muscle stress. Unit of Measure: U/L |
| Creatine Phosphokinase (CPK) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: CPK measured to detect skeletal muscle damage. Unit of Measure: U/L |
| Myoglobin | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Myoglobin measured as a marker of muscle damage. Unit of Measure: ng/mL |
| Iron | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum iron measured to assess iron status. Unit of Measure: µg/dL |
| Ferritin | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum ferritin measured to monitor iron storage. Unit of Measure: ng/mL |
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: CRP measured as a marker of systemic inflammation. Unit of Measure: mg/L |
| High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: hs-CRP measured to detect low-grade inflammation. Unit of Measure: mg/L |
| Interleukin-6 (IL-6) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: IL-6 measured from serum to assess inflammatory response. Unit of Measure: pg/mL |
| Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: TNF-α measured as a marker of systemic inflammation. Unit of Measure: pg/mL |
| Testosterone | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum testosterone measured to assess hormonal adaptations. Unit of Measure: ng/dL |
| Cortisol | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Serum cortisol measured to monitor stress response. Unit of Measure: µg/dL |
| Testosterone-Cortisol Ratio | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Calculated ratio to estimate anabolic-catabolic balance. Unit of Measure: Ratio |
| Red Blood Cells (RBC) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: RBC count measured from blood to assess oxygen transport capacity. Unit of Measure: million cells/µL |
| Hemoglobin | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Hemoglobin measured to evaluate oxygen-carrying capacity. Unit of Measure: g/dL |
| Hematocrit | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Hematocrit measured as percentage of RBC in blood. Unit of Measure: % |
| White Blood Cells (WBC) | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: WBC count measured to monitor immune function. Unit of Measure: cells/µL |
| Platelets | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Platelet count measured to assess hematological health. Unit of Measure: cells/µL |
| Countermovement Jump Height | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Jump height measured (cm) to assess lower-limb explosive power. Unit of Measure: cm |
| Knee Extensor Power, Dominant Leg | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Measured using isokinetic dynamometer. Unit of Measure: Watts |
| Knee Extensor Power, Non-Dominant Leg | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Measured using isokinetic dynamometer. Unit of Measure: Watts |
| Knee Flexor Power, Dominant Leg | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Measured using isokinetic dynamometer. Unit of Measure: Watts |
| Knee Flexor Power, Non-Dominant Leg | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Measured using isokinetic dynamometer. Unit of Measure: Watts |
| 10-m Sprint Time | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Sprint time measured using photocell gates; lower times indicate better performance. Unit of Measure: seconds |
| T-Test Agility | Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase). | Description: Participants perform T-test agility course; lower times indicate better agility. Unit of Measure: seconds |
Countries
Greece
Outcome results
None listed