Excess of Mixed-Footedness among Professional Soccer Players

This study concerns the distribution of footedness among professional soccer players ( n = 415) and nonsporting university students ( n = 430). Chisquared showed that there were statistically significant differences between the proportion of mixed-footedness in the two groups ( p <.0001). It appears that mixed-footedness or the ability to use both feet with an almost equal consistency is an important factor in the potential of individuals to reach high skill in soccer play. The mixed-footedness of these professional soccer players can be understood best in terms of both the nature of the game and genetic predisposition. This result is of direct interest in the context of those activities in which structural and functional biases in the lower extremities are important variables in acquisition and performance of motor skill.

Download Full-text

Genética y fútbol: asociación de los polimorfismos genéticos ACTN3 y ACE-I/D en jugadores de fútbol: Revisión literaria (Genetic and soccer: association of ACTN3 and ACE-I/D genetic polymorphisms in soccer players: Literary review)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v0i39.79347 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wilson Arroyo Moya

Keyword(s):

Genetic Polymorphisms ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Muscle Injuries ◽

Physiological Level ◽

Youth Soccer ◽

Genotypic Combination ◽

Genetic Components ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Hereditary Factors ◽

And Performance

Se ha comprobado y establecido que alrededor del 66% de los componentes del rendimiento y estado del atleta se explican por los factores hereditarios. Dos de los polimorfismos genéticos mas estudiados con relación al rendimiento deportivo en la ultima década, son el ACTN3 R577X y el ACE I/D. El objetivo de este estudio fue resumir las posibles asociaciones de ambos polimorfismos y el rendimiento en jugadores de fútbol, determinando la combinación alélica y genotípica que más destaca en esta población y, además, observar las relaciones de estos a nivel físico y fisiológico. Para la realización de este estudio se llevaron a cabo dos fases, una primera de revisión bibliográfica y una segunda fase de clasificación y análisis de la información. Los estudios evidencian una mayor influencia de los alelos ACE-D y ACTN-R, y de los genotipos ACE-ID y ACTN-RR. Se observó que los sujetos con estas combinaciones tenían mejores rendimientos es pruebas de velocidad y fuerza. Por otro lado, el polimorfismo ACTN3 está directamente relacionado con las lesiones musculares. En conclusión, se pudo observar una relación entre los polimorfismos genéticos y el rendimiento en jugadores de fútbol. Los componentes genéticos se pueden integrar como un nuevo componente dentro de la caracterización del deporte y como una herramienta dentro de un modelo de identificacción y detección de talentos en el fútbol juvenil. Además, los biomarcadores genéticos podrían ser responsables en un futuro, del estudio del riesgo de lesiones para que se optimice mucho más el rendimiento en el fútbol profesional. Abstract. It has been verified and established that around 66% of the components of the athlete's performance and state are explained by hereditary factors. Two of the most studied genetic polymorphisms in relation to sports performance in the last decade are ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D. The aim of this study was to summarize the possible associations of both polymorphisms and the performance in soccer players, determining the allelic and genotypic combination that stands out the most in this population and, also, to observe their relationships at the physical and physiological level. In order to complete this study, two phases were carried out, the first one of literature review and, the second one which covered the information classification and analysis. The studies show a greater influence of the ACE-D and ACTN-R alleles, and higher presence of the ACE-ID and ACTN-RR genotypes. Subjects with these combinations were found to perform better on speed and strength tests. On the other hand, the ACTN3 polymorphism is directly related to muscle injuries. In conclusion, a relationship between genetic polymorphisms and performance in soccer players could be observed. Genetic components can be integrated as a new component within the characterization of sport and as a tool within a model of identification and detection of talents in youth soccer. In addition, genetic biomarkers could be responsible, in the future, for the study of the risk of injury so that performance in professional soccer is much more optimized.

Download Full-text

Injuries in Professional Male Soccer Players in the Netherlands: A Prospective Cohort Study

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-49.3.64 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 211-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Janine H. Stubbe ◽

Anne-Marie M. C. van Beijsterveldt ◽

Sissi van der Knaap ◽

Jasper Stege ◽

Evert A. Verhagen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Injury Risk ◽

Knee Injuries ◽

Lower Extremities ◽

Body Part ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Time Loss ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Common Diagnosis

Context: Injuries are a major adverse event in a soccer player's career. Reducing injury incidence requires a thorough knowledge of the epidemiology of soccer injuries. Objective: To investigate the incidence and characteristics of injuries in the Dutch premier soccer league. Design: Cohort study. Setting: The Dutch premier soccer league. Patients or Other Participants: During the 2009–2010 soccer season, a total of 217 professional soccer players from 8 teams were prospectively followed. Main Outcome Measure(s): The medical staff recorded time-loss injuries, including information on injuries (ie, type, body part, duration) and exposure data for training sessions and matches. Results: A total of 286 injuries were recorded, affecting 62.7% of the players. The overall injury incidence was 6.2 injuries per 1000 player-hours, 2.8 in training sessions and 32.8 in matches. Most of the recorded injuries were acute (68.5%). Eight percent of the injuries were classified as recurrent. Injuries were most likely to be located in the lower extremities (82.9%). Injury time loss ranged from 1 to 752 days, with a median of 8 days. Knee injuries had the greatest consequences in terms of days of absence from soccer play (on average, 45 days). The most common diagnosis was muscle/tendon injury of the lower extremities (32.9%). Conclusions: Injury risk in the Dutch premier soccer league is high, especially during matches. Preventive measures should focus on the most common diagnoses, namely, muscle/tendon injuries of the lower extremities.

Download Full-text

COVID-19-Related Restrictions and Quarantine COVID-19: Effects on Cardiovascular and Yo-Yo Test Performance in Professional Soccer Players

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589543 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Lucas de Albuquerque Freire ◽

Márcio Tannure ◽

Márcio Sampaio ◽

Maamer Slimani ◽

Hela Znazen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Test Performance ◽

Random Order ◽

Performance Outcomes ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Maximal Speed ◽

And Performance ◽

High Level ◽

Viral Outbreak

The present study aimed to verify the quarantine’s effects during a serious viral outbreak on the cardiovascular and performance associated with the Yo-Yo test in a sample of professional soccer players. 20 high-level soccer players (n = 20; age: 26 ± 4 years-old; weight: 76.85 ± 6.7 kg; height: 179 ± 6 cm) participated in this study. The intermittent Yo-Yo test was performed pre- and post- COVID-19 quarantine in a random order. During each test, the soccer players’ running performance outcomes were monitored using a portable 5-Hz GPS with a 100 Hz accelerometer and a paired t-test was conducted at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant differences between pre- versus post-COVID-19 quarantine in the following variables: relative distance (161.7 ± 5.9 > 141.1 ± 33.8 m/min), maximal speed (18.7 ± 0.9 > 18.2 ± 0.6 km/h), acceleration (60 ± 20 frequency > 52 ± 16 frequency), deceleration (34 ± 13 frequency > 27 ± 6 frequency), sprints > 19 km/h [0.8 (0.2;3)% >0.5 (0;0.5)%], and in high intensity running distance [16.48 (2.68;41.64)m > 0.827 (0.164;3.0)m]. We concluded that COVID-19-related restrictions and quarantine COVID-19 demonstrated adverse effects on professional soccer players’ Yo-Yo tests performance.

Download Full-text

Professional soccer players; Return to play and performance after Achilles tendon ruptures

Foot and Ankle Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.fas.2017.07.457 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. 121

Author(s):

D. Trofa ◽

P. Noback ◽

C. Ahmad ◽

J. Greisberg ◽

J. Turner Vosseller

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Return To Play ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Tendon Ruptures ◽

And Performance

Download Full-text

The Relationship between Preseason Common Screening Tests to Identify Inter-Limb Asymmetries in High-Level Senior and Professional Soccer Players

Symmetry ◽

10.3390/sym13101805 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 1805

Author(s):

Fernando J. Santos ◽

Aníbal J. Valido ◽

Inês S. Malcata ◽

Cátia C. Ferreira ◽

Dalton M. Pessôa Filho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Screening Tests ◽

Mean Values ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

And Performance ◽

High Level ◽

The Relationship ◽

Important Evidence

This study sought to examine inter-limb asymmetries in common screening tests performed during preseason and to analyze the relationship between the performance in the different tests. Nineteen high-level senior and professional soccer players (age: 23.2 ± 3.1 years; height: 181 ± 0.06 cm; body mass: 75.2 ± 4.8 kg) performed several common screening tests during preseason: Dorsiflexion lunge test (DLT); bent knee fall out test (BKFO); y-balance anterior test (YBT A); y-balance posterolateral test (YBT PL); Y-balance posteromedial test (YBT PM); Heel-rise test (HRT) and single leg hamstring bridge test (SLHBT). High levels of reliability (ICC > 0.88 and <0.94) were observed in all the studied variables. Inter-limb significant differences were observed in DLT and YBT PM test (p < 0.01) but YBT A, HRT and SLHBT presented trivial effect size (ES) (0.03; 0.07 and 0.13, respectively), contrary to DLT, BKFO and YBT PL, all with small ES (0.20; −0.23 and −0.22) and YBT PM, which revealed very large ES (2.91). Considering all data, high-level senior and professional soccer players present fairly good mean values of lower limb symmetry. Performance considering all tests was different, a fact associated with different biomechanical dynamics (e.g., YBT), nonetheless, the correlations between tests underline the relationship between these, which could represent important evidence to consider for injury prevention and performance enhancement programs.

Download Full-text

OPHTHALMOLOGIC EVALUATION IN PROFESSIONAL MALE SOCCER PLAYERS IN BRAZIL

Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte ◽

10.1590/1517-869220192504206613 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 295-298

Author(s):

Aline Sutili Toledo ◽

Gustavo Gonçalves Arliani ◽

Paulo Henrique Schmidt Lara ◽

Rodrigo Kallas Zogaib ◽

Moisés Cohen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Contact Lenses ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Ocular Surgery ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Sensitivity Evaluation ◽

And Performance

ABSTRACT Introduction: Soccer is the most popular sport in Brazil and worldwide, but there is insufficient data on the eye health of soccer players, and eye conditions may affect the well-being and performance of these athletes. Objective: To perform an ocular evaluation of a representative sample of professional soccer players from Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over four consecutive years (2009-2012) at a single professional soccer club in Brazil. The ophthalmology evaluation was performed by the same ophthalmologist in each sample. Prior to the ophthalmology evaluation, all participants filled out a questionnaire to provide the following demographic data: age, position, use of contact lenses or ophthalmic drugs, symptoms, previous ocular surgery, and date of the last ophthalmology evaluation. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP) and color vision were tested during the ophthalmologic examination, and ophthalmoscopy and biomicroscopy exams were performed. Results: One hundred and twenty bilateral ophthalmology evaluations were performed in 84 professional soccer players between 2009 and 2012. Pinguecula and pterygium were the most common conditions found in the athletes’ biomicroscopy exams, corresponding to 63% (38/60) and 17% (10/60) of abnormalities, respectively. In the contrast sensitivity evaluation, only one athlete was color blind. No significant associations were found between the position of the athlete and the results of the biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy exams. Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of abnormalities found in the ophthalmology evaluation, most refractive abnormalities did not require correction, and the biomicroscopy abnormalities were mostly benign. Level III; Study of non-consecutive patients.

Download Full-text

Effect of different seasonal strength training protocols on circulating androgen levels and performance parameters in professional soccer players

HORMONES ◽

10.1007/bf03401326 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 104-118 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Nikolaos E. Koundourakis ◽

Nikolaos Androulakis ◽

Eirini C. Spyridaki ◽

Elias Castanas ◽

Niki Malliaraki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Strength Training ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Performance Parameters ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

And Performance ◽

Androgen Levels ◽

Training Protocols

Download Full-text

Characterization of Warm-Up in Soccer: Report from Portuguese Elite Soccer Coaches

The Open Sports Sciences Journal ◽

10.2174/1875399x02114010114 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 114-123

Author(s):

Ricardo Ferraz ◽

Paulo Ribeiro ◽

Henrique P. Neiva ◽

Pedro Forte ◽

Luís Branquinho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Training Session ◽

Point Of View ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Specific Information ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Warm Up ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Psychological Point ◽

Observational Study Design ◽

And Performance

Background: Warm-up before competition and training is a strategy that is widely acknowledged to improve players’ physical condition and performance. However, the importance of warm-up is not well understood and so there is a research gap into this topic. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the warm-up of professional soccer players by differences and similarities between different coaches’ methodologies. Methods: A group of thirty-two Portuguese elite soccer coaches participated in this study An observational study design was conducted through a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire with nineteen questions. During the questionnaire, coaches were asked to provide specific information about the warm-ups prescribed for soccer players, about their importance from a technical, physical and psychological point of view and the importance they attached to the warm-up / reheating of substitute players. The questionnaire was administered to the coaches at the end of a training session. Results: The results indicated that there is no consensus regarding the type of warm-up that should be prescribed. There are different opinions between elite coaches regarding the warm-up components that must be emphasized in order to prepare players for the game demands. Moreover, considering the tactical, technical, physical, and psychological dimensions, the coaches have different perspectives of the warm-up. Conclusion: This study allowed to conclude that there is no standard regarding the prescription of warm-up in professional soccer players, in the opinion of coaches. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a distinct appreciation in relation to the importance and influence of warm-up for performance.

Download Full-text