Brief ideas about evidence-based recovery in team sports.

Performance in team sports is the expression of complex, dynamic, interactive, and multidimensional processes. It is now well-established that optimum recovery after practice or match is a key factor of team sport performance. During season and tournaments, improving recovery could offer an advantage for following performance. As a consequence of the professionalization of different roles in staffs, new particular roles have been developed within the team sports physician core in order to improve recovery protocols. Presently, scientific literature presents a big amount of methods used to enhance recovery based on the type of practice, time between session or competitions and equipment and/or staff accessible. These practices, usually used by teams are related to: ergonutritional, water therapy, massages techniques, stretching compression garments, sleep strategies and psychological implements. Besides, travel fatigue has been recognized by athletes and coaches as a challenging problem that could benefit from practical solutions. Nowadays, players have to play a lot of matches without enough time to recover among them, therefore the use of well-managed recovery can lead to a competitive advantage. Although the main purpose of applied sport sciences investigation is to categorize the protocols as well as providing approaches for individual recovery, the stages to recognize the most appropriate recovery plans in the field of team sports come from the analysis of the individual parameters.

Physiological and physical responses to wearing compression garments during soccer matches and recovery.

BACKGROUND: There is not enough information on the effects of compression therapy in soccer players during recovery after matches. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of wearing compression garments during soccer matches and during recovery period on physical responses. METHODS: Eighteen semi-professional soccer players participated in this study. A two-stage crossover design was chosen. Participants acted as controls in one match and were assigned to an experimental group (compression stockings group, full-leg compression group, shorts group) in the other match. Participants in experimental groups played the match wearing assigned compression garments and were worn in the 3 days post-match, for 7 hours/day. Blood lactate concentration, arterial oxygen saturation of hemoglobin, perceived exertion, perceived recovery, anaerobic power (vertical jump, sprint, change of direction) and aerobic capacity (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery level 2) were measured. Internal and external loads were measured during both matches. RESULTS: Using compression garments may slightly increase lactate during and after soccer matches and only full-leg garments can moderately attenuate the reduction of arterial oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. Wearing compression garments can be useful between 24-48 hours post-exercise to promote psychological recovery, especially with full-leg garments and compression shorts. Decreases in anaerobic power can be attenuated but not significantly, mainly with full-leg compression garments or compression shorts. Compression garments could also have positive effect on aerobic capacity, but we cannot exclude a placebo effect. CONCLUSIONS: Compression garments could be moderately beneficial, but effects are not significant.

Marcadores bioquímicos relevantes del proceso de recuperación en futbol / Relevant biochemical markers of recovery process in soccer

Todas las sesiones de entrenamiento y competición suponen una oportunidad de mejora del rendimiento de los jugadores de futbol, por lo que es primordial afrontar cada sesión de entrenamiento o partido en el mejor estado posible. A fecha actual, y para nuestro conocimiento, todavía existen dudas sobre las causas y los mecanismos subyacentes al proceso de fatiga y recuperación en futbol, de ahí la complejidad de controlar este proceso. Existe una variedad de marcadores utilizados en la actualidad (de rendimiento, perceptivos y bioquímicos), algunos de los cuales pueden no ser adecuados debido a la posible fatiga adicional generada que influya en el seguimiento del proceso de la recuperación. Por ello, y a pesar de la dificultad de realizarse en algunas categorías en las que se disponga de los medios necesarios, la información que permiten obtener los marcadores bioquímicos debe ser considerada siempre que sea posible. Dado que su valoración permite optimizar el equilibro entre el estrés competitivo y la recuperación de los jugadores de futbol, el objetivo de esta revisión es analizar la importancia que puede tener el control, seguimiento y evaluación de diferentes marcadores bioquímicos dentro del proceso de recuperación en jugadores de fútbol. Teniendo en cuenta la alta variabilidad en su respuesta debido a las características individuales de los futbolistas y las diferencias metabólicas y fisiológicas que genera cada partido y/o entrenamiento, no podemos realizar un control adecuado del proceso de recuperación en fútbol utilizando únicamente un marcador bioquímico, pues es preciso valorar diferentes marcadores en conjunto. De hecho, deben considerarse como una opción que complemente la información obtenida a través de marcadores de rendimiento físico y/o perceptivo

Training and competition provide an opportunity to enhance the performance of football players, so is essential to face every training session or competition in the best possible condition. For our knowledge, there are still doubts about the causes and mechanisms underlying fatigue and recovery in football, hence the complexity of monitoring this process. A variety of biomarkers are used nowadays (performance, perceptual and biochemical), but some may not be suitable due to the probable fatigue caused that could influence the recovery process. Despite the difficulty of obtain them in some categories where is not plausible, the information of biochemical markers should be considered whenever was possible. Since its assessment let to optimize the balance between competitive stress and recovery of football players, the aim of this review is to analyze the importance of control, monitoring and evaluate different biochemical markers of recovery in soccer players. Even so, the high variability in their response due to the individual characteristics of players and the metabolic and physiological differences caused by a soccer match or training stop us from monitoring the recovery process in soccer using only one biochemical marker, it is necessary to assess several markers together. In fact, they should be considered as an option to complement the information obtained through physical performance and perceptive markers

Are compression garments effective for the recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The aim was to identify benefits of compression garments used for recovery of exercised-induced muscle damage. METHODS: Computer-based literature research was performed in September 2015 using four online databases: Medline (PubMed), Cochrane, WOS (Web Of Science) and Scopus. The analysis of risk of bias was completed in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated with Hedges' g for continuous outcomes. A random effect meta-analysis model was used. Systematic differences (heterogeneity) were assessed with I(2) statistic. RESULTS: Most results obtained had high heterogeneity, thus their interpretation should be careful. Our findings showed that creatine kinase (standard mean difference=-0.02, 9 studies) was unaffected when using compression garments for recovery purposes. In contrast, blood lactate concentration was increased (standard mean difference=0.98, 5 studies). Applying compression reduced lactate dehydrogenase (standard mean difference=-0.52, 2 studies), muscle swelling (standard mean difference=-0.73, 5 studies) and perceptual measurements (standard mean difference=-0.43, 15 studies). Analyses of power (standard mean difference=1.63, 5 studies) and strength (standard mean difference=1.18, 8 studies) indicate faster recovery of muscle function after exercise. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the application of compression clothing may aid in the recovery of exercise induced muscle damage, although the findings need corroboration.

Control del entrenamiento y fisiología del ejercicio. La controversia del umbral anaeróbico / No disponible

No disponible

Hipertermia en atletas de élite durante la competición. Importancia de su control para la salud / Hyperthermia in top level athletes during competition. Importance on health

Introducción: El ejercicio físico intenso puede causar un aumento de la temperatura central por encima de los 38 ºC (hipertermia), el cual puede inducir fatiga central, alterando la actividad del área prefrontal cerebral durante el ejercicio en ambientes calurosos demostrado en estudios realizados en laboratorio. Sin embargo, a pesar de que cuanto más intenso y duradero sea el ejercicio más podría aumentarla Tn, este fenómeno no ha sido estudiado en deportistas de élite en situaciones reales de entrenamiento regular y/ocompetición y tampoco si dicho incremento pudiera afectar negativamente a su rendimiento y a su salud. Objetivo: El objeto de estudio fue analizar la respuesta de la temperatura central en competición real en deportistas de alto rendimiento. Metodología: Veintinueve atletas (8 ciclistas profesionales,12 remeros, 3 corredores de resistencia internacionales y 6 triatletas de élite) fueron estudiados. Los sujetos ingirieron 3 horas antes de la competición una píldora que contiene un sensor telemétrico de temperatura interna (Cor Temp TM Ingestible Thermometer, HQ Inc., EE.UU.). También se registraron la temperatura ambiente y la humedad, así como la frecuencia cardiaca mediante una unidad telemétrica. Resultados: La temperatura central máxima registrada durante la competición fue de media de 39,5 ºC, con un rango de 38,1 a 42,3 ºC. Cinco de los 29 atletas (17%) llegaron a alcanzar temperatura cercana a los 40 ºC en condiciones ambientales normotermales (25 ºC). La frecuencia cardiaca osciló en rangos de 185 a 203 lat/min (media, 186). Conclusión: En deportes de resistencia de larga duración la temperatura central del deportista de élite puede llegar a valores muy altos, con medias de 39,5 ºC, lo que podría afectar al rendimiento y/o a la salud del deportista. Son necesarios más trabajos en atletas de resistencia durante competición y/o entrenamiento en situaciones ambientales de calor elevado para valorar el efecto del aumento de la Tn en la fatiga central y la salud (AU)

Introduction: Hyperthermia (increases in core temperature above 38 ºC) induced by intense exercise causes central fatigue and reduces time to exhaustion during exercise in the heat. Moreover alter the prefontal cerebral area activity. The cited studies have been performed in a laboratory setting. However, it remains unclear if elite athletes experience hyperthermia during their competition and furthermore if that could negatively affect performance and health. Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure core temperature response to regular competition in elite athletes. Methods: Twenty-nine athletes (8 professional cyclists,12 rowers, 3 endurance runners of international level and6 international triathletes) were studied during competition. At least 3 hour prior to the exercise subjects ingested a pill containing a telemetric temperature sensor (Cor Temp TM Ingestible Thermometer, HQ Inc., USA) which signals were collected and recorded (Cor Temp TM 2000 Recorder; HQ Inc., USA) at rest and frequently during exercise. Dry bulb temperature and relative humidity were also recorded(Kestrel 4000 NK; Nielsen-Kelleman, USA). In addition heart rate was recorded using a telemetric unit (Accurex, Polar, Kempele, Finland). Results: The highest core temperatures recorded during competition ranged from 38.1 to 42.3 ºC with (average of 39.5 ºC). 5 out of the 29 athletes (17%) reached core temperatures above 40 ºC. The highest heart rates during competition ranged from 185 to 203 beats/min (average186 beats/min).Conclusion: In endurance sports during long lasting competitions events core temperature reaches high levels in elite athletes (39.5 ºC). Thus it is possible that endurance performance and health during competition could be affected by hyperthermia. It is necessary more research in endurance athletes during competition or training in the heat to evaluate the effect of core temperature in the central fatigue and health (AU)