Football (soccer) match-derived hamstring muscles residual fatigue can be monitored using early rate of torque development

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether a soccer match affects the rapid force-generating capacity of the hamstring muscles, given their key role in both horizontal ground reaction force production during sprint biomechanics, and in the deceleration of the shank during the late swing phase, where rapid force production is essential owing to time constraints. Therefore, the research objective was to determine soccer match-induced hamstrings residual fatigue and recovery through rate of torque development (RTD) and associated biochemical parameters.

Methods: The recovery kinetics of hamstrings RTD metrics by the 90°_hip:20°_knee test, together with serum biomarkers (creatine kinase, mitochondrial creatine kinase, transaminases, malondialdehyde, irisin), were assessed in 19 male, regional first-division soccer players (age = 20.9 ± 2.0 years, mass = 72.6 ± 11.9 kg, height = 175.9 ± 6.9 cm [mean ± SD]), before a soccer match (MD) and post-24 h (MD₊₁), post-48 h (MD₊₂) and post-72 h (MD₊₃), through a repeated measures design.

Results: Early RTD to 50 ms (p < 0.001, g = -1.24) and 100 ms (p < 0.001, g = -1.06) remained unrecovered on MD₊₃ in both hamstring muscles. However, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque of the dominant and non-dominant hamstrings was unrecovered on MD₊₂ (p = 0.004, g = -0.91; and p = 0.002, g = -0.98, respectively) and recovered on MD₊₃ (p = 0.057 and p = 0.070, respectively). Further, neuromuscular deficits were coupled with myocyte structural (p = 0.002, g = 1.11) and mitochondrial damage (p = 0.004, g = 0.92) biomarkers.

Conclusion: Based in the findings, early RTD_0-50 and RTD_0-100 monitoring, through the 90°_hip:20°_knee IPC test, is a cost-effective method for assessing soccer match-induced hamstring muscles residual fatigue and recovery. Overall, soccer match-induced hamstring residual fatigue is not recovered within a 3-day recovery period. Practitioners can use rapid force production metrics through isometric assessments, providing a simple, non-exhaustive tool, for assessing residual fatigue status during congested competitive periods, to comprehensively balance muscle recovery with optimizing training.

Keywords: Exercise-induced muscle damage; Force-generating capacity; Hamstring strain injury; Muscle recovery; Sprint-based sports.