Influence of prolonged intermittent high-intensity exercise on knee flexor strength in male and female soccer players

Aim: To compare the effect of low versus high volume of eccentric-biased hamstring training programs on knee-flexor strength and fascicle length changes in elite soccer players. Methods: A total of 19 elite youth soccer players took part in this study and were randomly assigned into 2 subgroups. For 6 weeks in-season, the groups performed either a low-volume (1 set per exercise; 10 repetitions in total) or a high-volume (4 sets; 40 repetitions) eccentric training of their knee flexors. After 6-weeks midtraining (MID), players performed the alternate training regimen. Each training set consisted of 4 repetitions of the Nordic hamstring exercise and 6 repetitions of the bilateral stiff-leg deadlift. Eccentric knee-flexor strength (NordBord) as well as biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus fascicle length (scanned with ultrasound scanner) were assessed during pretraining (PRE), MID, and posttraining (POST) tests. Results: Knee-flexor eccentric strength very likely increased from PRE to MID (low volume: +11.3% [7.8%] and high volume: 11.4% [5.3%]), with a possibly-to-likely increase in biceps femoris long head (+4.5% [5.0%] and 4.8% [2.5%]) and semimembranosus (+4.3% [4.7%] and 6.3% [6.3%]) fascicle length in both groups. There was no substantial changes between MID and POST. Overall, there was no clear between-group difference in the changes from PRE to MID and MID to POST for neither knee-flexor eccentric strength, biceps femoris long head, nor semimembranosus fascicle length. Conclusions: Low-volume knee-flexor eccentric training is as effective as a greater training dose to substantially improve knee-flexor strength and fascicle length in-season in young elite soccer players. Low volume is, however, likely more appropriate to be used in an elite team facing congested schedules.

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The effects of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a quasi-experimental study

BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s13102-021-00263-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ahmad Dhahawi Alanazi ◽

Katy Mitchell ◽

Toni Roddey ◽

Aqeel M. Alenazi ◽

Msaad M. Alzhrani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Intensity ◽

Ligament Reconstruction ◽

Cruciate Ligament ◽

Exercise Bout ◽

High Intensity Exercise ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ◽

Landing Biomechanics ◽

Ankle Joints ◽

Anterior Cruciate

Abstract Background We aimed to examine the effect of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics in soccer players who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and non-injured soccer players during a soccer-specific landing maneuver. Methods Eighteen soccer players who underwent ACLR and 18 normal soccer players were enrolled in this investigation (ACLR group; age, 26.11 ± 3.95 years; body mass index, 23.52 ± 2.69 kg/m2; surgery time, 5 ± 3.30 years: control group; age, 25.83 ± 3.51 years; body mass index, 24.09 ± 3.73 kg/m2, respectively). Participants were evaluated during the landing maneuver before and after carrying out the high-intensity exercise bout using the Wingate test. The intensity of the exercise was defined as a blood lactate accumulation of at least 4 mmol/L. The dependent variables included sagittal-plane kinematics and kinetics of the ankle, knee and hip joints, and electromyography activity of the gastrocnemius, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus. Results On 2 × 2 analysis of variance, none of the dependent variable showed significant exercise×group interactions. Regardless of group, significant main effects of exercise were found. Post-exercise landing was characterized by increased flexion of hip (p = 0.01), knee (p = 0.001), and ankle joints (p = 0.002); increased extension moments of hip (p = 0.009), knee (p = 0.012), and ankle joints (p = 0.003), as well as decreased quadriceps activity (p = 0.007). Conclusion At 1 year or more post-ACLR, the effect of the high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics is not expected to differ from that experienced by healthy soccer players.

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Accumulated oxygen deficit measurements during and after high-intensity exercise in trained male and female adolescents

European Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1007/s004210050285 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 76 (6) ◽

pp. 525-531 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

G. A. Naughton ◽

J. S. Carlson ◽

D. C. Buttifant ◽

S. E. Selig ◽

K. Meldrum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Intensity ◽

High Intensity Exercise ◽

Oxygen Deficit ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

Male And Female ◽

Accumulated Oxygen Deficit

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Effects of Lactate Consumption on Blood Bicarbonate Levels and Performance During High-Intensity Exercise

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism ◽

10.1123/ijsnem.21.4.311 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 311-317 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

David M. Morris ◽

Rebecca S. Shafer ◽

Kimberly R. Fairbrother ◽

Mark W. Woodall

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

High Intensity ◽

Performance Test ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

High Intensity Exercise ◽

Time To Exhaustion ◽

Total Work ◽

Male And Female ◽

Lactate Consumption ◽

And Performance

The authors sought to determine the effects of oral lactate consumption on blood bicarbonate (HCO3−) levels, pH levels, and performance during high-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer. Subjects (N = 11) were trained male and female cyclists. Time to exhaustion (TTE) and total work were measured during high-intensity exercise bouts 80 min after the consumption of 120 mg/kg body mass of lactate (L), an equal volume of placebo (PL), or no treatment (NT). Blood HCO3− increased significantly after ingestion of lactate (p < .05) but was not affected in PL or NT (p > .05). No changes in pH were observed as a result of treatment. TTE and total work during the performance test increased significantly by 17% in L compared with PL and NT (p = .02). No significant differences in TTE and total work were seen between the PL and NT protocols (p = .85). The authors conclude that consuming 120 mg/kg body mass of lactate increases HCO3− levels and increases exercise performance during high-intensity cycling ergometry to exhaustion.

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Do age and body size affect the eccentric knee flexor strength measured during the Nordic hamstring exercise in male soccer players?

Sports Biomechanics ◽

10.1080/14763141.2021.2003850 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Vinícius de Borba Capaverde ◽

Gabriel dos Santos Oliveira ◽

Felipe Xavier de Lima-e-Silva ◽

João Breno Araujo Ribeiro-Alvares ◽

Bruno Manfredini Baroni

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Knee Flexor ◽

Flexor Strength

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Physiological Demands, Morphological Characteristics, Physical Abilities and Injuries of Female Soccer Players

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2017-0091 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 77-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Zoran Milanović ◽

Goran Sporiš ◽

Nic James ◽

Nebojša Trajković ◽

Aleksandar Ignjatović ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Intensity ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Influential Factors ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Male And Female ◽

Functional Training ◽

Explosive Power ◽

Physical Abilities ◽

Physiological Demands

AbstractThe popularity of female soccer is increasing as well as the number of females playing soccer. Similarly, over the last twenty or so years, research in soccer has increased significantly, but a large disparity exists in the volume of studies involving male and female players. As a consequence of this, female players remain less well understood compared to males. The purpose of the present narrative review was to describe morphological characteristics, physiological demands, physical abilities and injuries in female soccer players. Physiological demands are similar between men’s and women’s soccer, but competitive women’s matches were characterized by nearly 33% less distance covered, although at higher intensity levels (maximum speeds greater than 15 km/h) than typically found in the men’s game. Sub-elite female players also tended to run less at higher intensity levels at the end of both halves in comparison with elite female players. High intensity running is an important factor of success in soccer since many critical moments of the game occur under this condition. The ability to rapidly change direction also determined elite, sub-elite and amateur levels. The implementation of functional training, which focused on soccer-specific drills and plyometric exercises, to improve explosive power, may improve conditioning in female soccer players as well as decrease the risk of injuries which was 3-8 times higher in females compared to males. This review presents an in-depth overview of the most influential factors for determining success in female soccer.

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The Effect of Body Mass on Eccentric Knee-Flexor Strength Assessed With an Instrumented Nordic Hamstring Device (Nordbord) in Football Players

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2015-0513 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 721-726 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Martin Buchheit ◽

Yannick Cholley ◽

Mark Nagel ◽

Nicholas Poulos

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Football Players ◽

Knee Flexor ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Australian Football League ◽

Training History ◽

Absolute Strength ◽

Australian Football ◽

Flexor Strength

Purpose:To examine the effect of body mass (BM) on eccentric knee-flexor strength using the Nordbord and offer simple guidelines to control for the effect of BM on knee-flexor strength.Methods:Data from 81 soccer players (U17, U19, U21, senior 4th French division, and professionals) and 41 Australian Football League (AFL) players were used for analysis. They all performed 1 set of 3 maximal repetitions of the bilateral Nordic hamstring exercise, with the greatest strength measure used for analysis. The main regression equation obtained from the overall sample was used to predict eccentric knee-flexor strength from a given BM (moderate TEE, 22%). Individual deviations from the BM-predicted score were used as a BM-free index of eccentric knee- flexor strength.Results:There was a large (r = .55, 90% confidence limits .42;.64) correlation between eccentric knee-flexor strength and BM. Heavier and older players (professionals, 4th French division, and AFL) outperformed their lighter and younger (U17–U21) counterparts, with the soccer professionals presenting the highest absolute strength. Professional soccer players were the only ones to show strength values likely slightly greater than those expected for their BM.Conclusions:Eccentric knee-flexor strength, as assessed with the Nordbord, is largely BM-dependent. To control for this effect, practitioners may compare actual test performances with the expected strength for a given BM, using the following predictive equation: Eccentric strength (N) = 4 × BM (kg) + 26.1. Professional soccer players with specific knee-flexor-training history and enhanced neuromuscular performance may show higher than expected values.

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Knee Flexor Eccentric Strength, Hamstring Muscle Volume and Sprinting in Elite Professional Soccer Players with a Prior Strained Hamstring

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology11010069 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 69

Author(s):

Alberto Mendez-Villanueva ◽

Francisco Javier Nuñez ◽

Jose Luis Lazaro-Ramirez ◽

Pablo Rodriguez-Sanchez ◽

Marc Guitart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Hamstring Muscle ◽

Knee Flexor ◽

Hamstring Strain ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Knee Strength ◽

History Of ◽

Flexor Strength

The aim was to determine if players with a prior hamstring strain injury (HSI) exhibit bilateral deficits in knee flexor eccentric strength and hamstring muscle volume and differences in sprinting performance compared with players without a history of HSIs. Forty-six male professional soccer players participated in this study. Eccentric knee flexor strength, hamstring muscle volume (MRI), and a 20-m running sprint test (5- and 10-m split time) were assessed at the start of the preseason. Eccentric knee strength of the previously injured limbs of injured players was greater (ES: 1.18–1.36) than the uninjured limbs in uninjured players. Previously injured limbs showed possibly larger biceps femoris short heads (BFSh) and likely semitendinosus (ST) muscle volumes than the contralateral uninjured limbs among the injured players (ES: 0.36) and the limbs of the uninjured players (ES: 0.56), respectively. Players who had experienced a previous HSI were possibly slower in the 5-m (small ES: 0.46), while unclear differences were found in both the 10-m and 20-m times. Players with a prior HSI displayed greater eccentric knee flexor strength, possibly relatively hypertrophied ST and BFSh muscles, and possibly reduced 5-m sprinting performances than previously uninjured players. This can have implication for the design of secondary hamstring muscle injury prevention strategies.

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