Kinetic Post-match Fatigue in Professional and Youth Soccer Players During the Competitive Period

BACKGROUND: No previous research has analysed kinetic fatigue of elite adult players and elite youth players during the competitive period. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to analyse kinetic post-match fatigue in professional and youth soccer players during the competitive period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: resting heart rate (HRrest), post-effort recovery heart rate (HRrecovery), rate of perceived exertion fatigue (RPEf), muscle soreness and blood samples with creatine kinase (CK) and resting lactate (La) from nine professional soccer players were measured immediately before, 24 hour and 48 hour after two official French first league matches (Ligue 1) whereas RPEf, HRrest, and 20m speed performance (speed-20 m) were measured in ten U-17 elite players immediately before, 24 hour and 48h after a friendly match. RESULTS: for professionals, a soccer match elevated all physiological markers during the next 24 hours (P < 0.05); only HRrecovery remained significantly different 48 hours after the match (P < 0.05) whereas there was no variation of HRrest, RPEf, and speed-20m, which were elevated until 24h and got back to reference values 48 hours after the match (P < 0.05) for the U17 players. Comparing the two groups, HRrest results remained lower all the time for professionals, and RPEf was lower for U-17, 24 hours after the match (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Independent of their level, professional soccer players, need 48 hours to recover after an official match. Professionals gain more fatigue than young players after a match, but recover as fast. Thus, they recover more efficiently especially due to a better physical condition and fitness training. It is expected that the results showed in the study help elite soccer and fitness coaches to manage the training load of the team according to the match.