Speed Endurance Training, Muscle Damage and Performance in Soccer Players (SPENSER)

September 22, 2020 updated by: Ioannis G. Fatouros, University of Thessaly

Acute Effects of Two Different Speed Endurance Protocols on Performance, Muscle Damage Markers and Neuromuscular Fatigue in Soccer Players

Soccer is an intermittent sport in which the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of the players are both very important. Elite football players perform an average of 150-250 short and intense movements during a match, demonstrating the significant contribution of the anaerobic energy system. Speed endurance training consists a tool to enhance the performance of aerobic and anaerobic system. This training includes actions such as sprinting, changes of direction, accelerations, decelerations, jumps and shooting, characterized by a strong eccentric component. Eccentric actions are associated with exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD). Nevertheless, to date, EIMD responses following a session of speed endurance training have not yet been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the EIMD responses and changes on performance and neuromuscular fatigue indices after two different speed endurance training protocols.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Football is a team sport in which mean and maximum heart rate ranges from 85 to 98% of the maximum heart rate during a competitive match. Elite football players perform an average of 150-250 short and intense movements during a match while blood lactate values range from 2 to 14 mmol/L demonstrating that the anaerobic energy system contributes significantly during the game. Acceleration and deceleration ability as well as ability to perform repeated sprints and changes of direction greatly determine performance in soccer.

Soccer players' ability to perform repetitive high intensity sprints over a long period of time can be improved by speed endurance training. Speed endurance training consists of repetitive intense exercise bouts at a higher intensity than maximum aerobic speed (MAS) lasting from 10 to 40 seconds and has been proven to be an important tool for improving performance in trained soccer players. Improved performance is attributed to the muscle's increased regulatory capacity regarding intense exercise, enhanced recovery of the energy stores, increased activity and number of muscle enzymes and accelerated by-products removal, thereby contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis and delay of fatigue occurrence during intense exercise.

Speed endurance training includes repeated high intensity actions such as sprinting, changes of direction, accelerations, decelerations, jumps and shooting. However, these movements have a strong eccentric component which has been associated with exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) and inflammation. EIMD increases plasma creatine kinase (CK) levels and the delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) and reduces power production capacity. CK increases after a soccer match, peaks at 48 hours and returns to rest values 5-7 days after the match. DOMS increases immediately after a soccer match, peaks at 24-72 hours and is normalized ~5 days post match. The reduction in power production capacity is observed immediately after the match and remains reduced for ~72 hours with the largest decrease observed at 48 hours post-match. Nevertheless, to date, EIMD responses following a session of speed endurance training have not yet been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the proposed study is to examine the EIMD responses and changes on performance and neuromuscular fatigue indices after two speed endurance training protocols.

A preliminary power analysis (effect size >0.55, probability error of 0.05, power of 0.90) revealed that a total sample of 8-10 soccer players required to detect statistically meaningful differences after a speed endurance training protocol.

A randomized, three-trial (speed endurance protocol A vs. speed endurance protocol B vs. control), cross-over, repeated measures design will be implemented. The study will be performed one week after the end of the in-season to minimize the detraining effect. Prior to the first trial participants will have their body mass, height, body composition and performance measured and will be familiarized with all the testing procedures. Each experimental trial (speed endurance training protocol A and B) will include a speed endurance training session on Monday. The second trial (between training trials) will serve as control, where only performance measurements and blood sampling will be performed. Performance assessment and blood sampling will be performed immediately after each speed endurance training session and daily for three days post training session. Each training session will be performed on natural grass surface under the same environmental conditions (i.e. temperature and humidity). A 5-day recovery period will be used between trials. During the training sessions, participants will consume only water ad libitum. Field activity during training sessions will be recorded using high time-resolution Global Positioning System (GPS) instrumentation and heart rate monitoring. Before each training session, a standard breakfast and meal will be consumed by all players as previously described.

Speed endurance training protocols Speed endurance training protocol A will consist of 1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 2,5 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:5 (25-30 seconds all out work) whereas speed endurance training protocol B will consist of 1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 4 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:8 (25-30 seconds all out work). Both training protocols will include the same exercise (drill), consisting of multiple linear sprints, changes of direction, ball contacts, passes, and shooting. Prior to the training sessions, a 15-min standard warm-up (free running, active stretching, ball contacts and sprints) will be performed.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
10

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Greece
    • Thessaly
      • Trikala, Thessaly, Greece, 42100
        • Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry, Exercise Physiology,and Sports Nutrition, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 21 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Absence of any musculoskeletal injury for at least 6 months prior to the study
  • No use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for at least 6 months prior to the study
  • Absence of regular soccer training for the last 3 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any recent incidence of musculoskeletal injury
  • Use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for the last 6 months
  • Regular soccer training for the last 3 years

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Screening
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Speed endurance training protocol A

Performance of two different speed endurance training protocols:

Speed endurance training protocol A will consist of 1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 2,5 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:5 (25-30 seconds all out work).
Other: Speed endurance training protocol A
1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 2,5 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:5 (25-30 seconds all out work)
Experimental: Speed endurance training protocol B
Speed endurance training protocol B will consist of 1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 4 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:8 (25-30 seconds all out work)
Other: Speed endurance training protocol B
1 set of 8 repetitions interspersed by 4 minutes of recovery with a work to rest ratio of 1:8 (25-30 seconds all out work)
No Intervention: Control condition
No training protocol will be performed, the participants will perform only the measurements for performance and muscle damage and neuromuscular fatigue

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Differences in changes in creatine kinase (CK) between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Creatine kinase (CK) is a muscle damage marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) is a muscle damage marker
Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal concentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal eccentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Differences in changes in countermovement jump between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Countermovement jump is used as a performance marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) is a performance marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal concentric strength is used as a performance marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal eccentric strength is used as a performance marker
Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal isometric strength between the two training protocols
Time Frame: Baseline, Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3
Maximal isometric strength is used as a neuromuscular fatigue marker
Baseline, Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Thessaly

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ioannis G Fatouros, PhD, University of Thessaly

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 8, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 31, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 12, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 18, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 26, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 24, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 22, 2020

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SpEndu2018

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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