The current study was conducted to compare muscle damage biomarkers in single- vs. multi-match weeks in elite soccer players for two consecutive seasons. A secondary objective was to analyze the influence of playing position and exposure time on muscle damage in single- vs. multi-match weeks. This is a prospective cohort study performed in a professional elite soccer club in the English Premier League during the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 seasons up until the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the Medical Department Room of an English Premier League Club before and after the soccer game from a total of 29 elite soccer players (mean ± S.D.; age = 27.59 ± 3.83 years; height = 1.83 ± 0.05 m; body mass = 80.16 ± 7.45 kg) who were enrolled in the club during both seasons. The main outcome measurements were creatine kinase (CK), weight, lean mass, % fat DEXA, high speed running, total distance, density of total distance and high-speed running and wellbeing questionnaires. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Players who completed more than 60 min in the previous game had significantly increased pregame CK levels and fatigue in multi-match weeks. Midfielders had both significantly increased pregame CK and muscle soreness in multi-match weeks. Midfielders and players with an exposure time of at least 60 min showed higher pregame CK values that should play a key role for deciding substitutions.
【저자키워드】 fatigue, soccer, creatine kinase, muscle damage, GPS, high speed running, 【초록키워드】 Biomarker, lockdown, COVID-19 pandemic, creatine, outcome, prospective cohort study, weight, substitutions, age, creatine kinase, exposure time, body mass, Height, Questionnaires, Medical Department, position, lean mass, Department, room, club, fat, English, Dexa, significantly increased, enrolled, performed, collected, conducted, Midfielder, Significance, 【제목키워드】 Prospective, congestion, muscle, damage, season, English, Week,