The moderating impact of maturation on acute neuromuscular and psycho-physiological responses to simulated soccer activity in academy soccer players

Salter, Jamie, De Ste Croix, Mark B ORCID: 0000-0001-9911-4355 and Hughes, Jonathan ORCID: 0000-0002-9905-8055 (2021) The moderating impact of maturation on acute neuromuscular and psycho-physiological responses to simulated soccer activity in academy soccer players. European Journal of Sport Science, 21 (12). pp. 1637-1647. doi:10.1080/17461391.2020.1851775

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Abstract

Resource constraints complicate load monitoring practices in some academies, which is problematic based on load-injury associations surrounding periods of rapid non-linear growth. Limited research has explored relationships between maturation and perceived psycho-physiological response to activity and associated neuromuscular performance changes. This study aimed to quantify neuromuscular and psycho-physiological responses to standardised activity and analyse whether dose-responses were moderated by maturation. Fifty-seven male soccer players (age: 14.1  0.9 years; stature: 165  10 cm; body mass, 57  9 kg; percentage of predicted adult height 92.7  5%) from two Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) academies completed the youth soccer-specific aerobic fitness test (Y-SAFT60). Countermovement jump (CMJ), reactive strength index (RSI), absolute (ABS) and relative leg stiffness (REL) were measured pre-post the Y-SAFT60 with playerload (PL), heart rate (HR), total distance (TDist) and differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) used as markers of load and intensity. A moderation model was employed to analyse interactions of maturation as a continuous variable. Analysis indicated no significant interaction (p <0.05) between maturation and neuromuscular performance but RPE-Technical demonstrated significant interactions (p = 0.01). Slope analysis indicated four variables (PL, RSI, ABS and REL) that demonstrated significance at various stages of maturation, most notably aligning with peak height velocity (~87-96% PAH). Tentatively, we propose that maturational developments in the neuromuscular system offer some mechanistic explanation to the varied dose-responses observed. It is therefore important that maturation is habitually considered within prescription of training programmes and that further empirical studies are completed to determine maturity specific dose-responses.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Adolescence; Injury and prevention; Neuromuscular; Team sports; Training load
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports > GV861 Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc. Q Science > QP Physiology > QP301.H75 Physiology. Sport R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Rhiannon Goodland
Date Deposited:	10 Nov 2020 10:57
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 09:07
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/8972

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