Athletic Injuries
Conditions
Keywords
Soccer, Strength Training, Athletic Performance, Fatigue, Motivation
Brief summary
Background. Strength training is a key component of physical performance in soccer. However, in non-professional players, evidence regarding the relationship between weekly strength training load and perceived physical performance remains limited, particularly when considering factors such as fatigue, pain, and motivation. Objective. To analyze the association between self-reported weekly strength training load and perceived physical performance in non-professional soccer players, and to examine the influence of perceived fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and exercise motivation on this relationship. Methods. An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study conducted using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire. The dependent variable will be perceived physical performance, assessed using the Perceived Performance in Sports Questionnaire. Independent variables will include weekly strength training load, measured using the session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE), perceived fatigue assessed with the Fatigue Severity Scale, and motivation toward training and sport participation assessed with the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2. Adjustment variables will include age, sex, playing position, competitive level, sporting experience, mean match playing time (minutes per match), body mass index, and overall weekly training load. Descriptive analyses and multivariable regression models will be performed. Expected results. To identify the relationship between weekly strength training load and perceived physical performance, and to determine the physical and psychosocial factors associated with lower self-perceived performance in non-professional soccer players.
Interventions
OTHERSoccer players sample
Active non-professional (amateur) soccer players.
Sponsors
University of Oviedo
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age between 18 and 40 years. * Competing in the 3ª RFEF category. * Male sex. * Having at least two years of seniority in federated football. * Signing the informed consent document.
Exclusion criteria
* Athletes with injuries lasting more than 3 months during the last season. * Participation in fewer than two weekly group training sessions (one or none). * Having undergone lower-limb surgery in the last 24 months. * Players who, despite being able to attend training sessions on a continuous basis, have a regular occupational activity that causes such a high physical workload that their sports performance is limited in training and/or competition.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement of perceived physical performance | Screening visit | This variable will be assessed using the Spanish version of the Perceived Performance in Sports Questionnaire. This instrument measures athletes' subjective evaluation of their own performance during competition or sport practice. It consists of five items rated on a 1-5 Likert scale, with the final score calculated as the mean of the items; higher scores indicate better perceived performance. As no specific cut-off points are established, the score will be interpreted as a continuous variable. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement of weekly strength training load | Screening visit | Weekly strength training load will be quantified using the session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE; Borg CR-10). Participants will report session duration and perceived intensity (0-10) for all strength sessions in the previous week. Weekly load will be calculated as the sum of sRPE × duration (minutes) across sessions. |
| Measurement of perceived fatigue | Screening visit | This variable will be assessed using the Spanish version of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). This self-reported questionnaire evaluates the impact of fatigue on daily functioning and consists of nine items rated on a 1-7 Likert scale. The final score is calculated as the mean of the items, with higher values indicating greater perceived fatigue; a mean score ≥4 is considered indicative of clinically significant fatigue. |
| Measurement of motivation toward training and sport participation | Screening visit | This variable will be assessed using the Spanish version of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2). This self-reported instrument, grounded in Self-Determination Theory, evaluates different types of motivational regulation toward exercise. It consists of 19 items distributed across the dimensions of amotivation, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation. Higher scores in autonomous regulation, particularly intrinsic motivation, are associated with greater adherence to and engagement in sport practice. |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed