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Impact of Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test versus soccer match on physiological, biochemical and neuromuscular parameters

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) versus soccer match on heart rate (HR), muscle damage, redox status, blood leukocytes and neuromuscular function throughout 72 h recovery. Sixteen male soccer players (21.3 ± 1.1 years; 175.0 ± 6.0 cm; 70.7 ± 6.3 kg) completed LIST and performed a soccer match separated by 2 weeks and data were collected before, 30 min, 24, 48 and 72 h after LIST and match. HR, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, myoglobin (Mb), uric acid (UA), protein sulfhydryls (–SH), malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, total antioxidant status (TAS), blood leukocyte counts, delayed onset muscle soreness, 20 m sprint and jump performances, and maximal isokinetic knee extension and flexion were analyzed. HR after LIST was significantly lower than after the match. Post-match TAS was lower and UA was higher than after LIST. Thirty minutes and 24 h after soccer MDA was higher and –SH was lower than after LIST (P < 0.05). LIST and soccer match induced elevation in total leukocytes and a reduction in lymphocytes at 30 min. This reduction in blood lymphocytes 30 min after match was lower than after LIST. In conclusion, the impact of both exercises did not differ regarding the observed muscle damage markers and some neuromuscular parameters, although soccer requires higher cardiac demand and induced higher changes on redox status, adenine nucleotide metabolism and on lymphocyte counts than LIST, which should be taken into account when using LIST to simulate a match to study these type of physiological and biochemical-related endpoints.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank to soccer players involved in the study for their committed participation. The excellent technical and practical assistance and skillful involvement of Sergio Ribeiro, Ricardo Ladeira, Laura Pereira, Bárbara Duarte, Henrique Reguengo, and camera operators as well as the friendly help of André Seabra in the statistics revision is also appreciated. The authors are grateful to City Council of Maia for providing the pitch where soccer match was carried out. António Ascensão is supported by a grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BPD/42525/2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa, 91, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal

    José Magalhães & António Ascensão

  2. Department of Soccer, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    António Rebelo & João Renato Silva

  3. Department of Sports Biology, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    José Magalhães, Eduardo Oliveira & António Ascensão

  4. Department of Clinical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Franklim Marques

Authors
  1. José Magalhães
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  2. António Rebelo
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  3. Eduardo Oliveira
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  4. João Renato Silva
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  5. Franklim Marques
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  6. António Ascensão
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Correspondence to José Magalhães.

Additional information

J. Magalhães, A. Ascensão and A. Rebelo contributed equally.

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Magalhães, J., Rebelo, A., Oliveira, E. et al. Impact of Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test versus soccer match on physiological, biochemical and neuromuscular parameters. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 39–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1161-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1161-z

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