Relationships between match activities and peak power output and Creatine Kinase responses to professional reserve team soccer match-play

The specific movement demands of soccer that are linked to post-match recovery and readiness to train are unclear. Therefore, we examined the relationship between Global Positioning System (GPS) variables and the change (Delta; from baseline) in Creatine Kinase (CK) concentrations and peak power output (PPO; during the countermovement jump) at 24 h and 48 h post-match. Fifteen English Premier League reserve team players were examined over 1-4 matches. Measurements of CK and PPO were taken before (24 h prior to match-play) and after (+24 h and +48 h) each game during which movement demands were quantified using 10 Hz GPS data. High intensity distance covered (r = 0386, p = 0.029; r =-0349; p = 0.050), high intensity distance covered.min(-1) (r = 0365, p = 0.040; r =-0.364, p = 0.040), high speed running distance (r = 0.363, p = 0:041; r =-0.360, p = 0.043) and the number of sprints.min(-1) (r = 0.410, p = 0.020; r =-0.368, p = 0.038) were significantly related to Delta CK and Delta PPO at +24 h post-match, respectively. No relationships were observed between any match variables and Delta CK and Delta PPO after +48 h of recovery. These findings highlight that high intensity match activities are related to Delta CK and Delta PPO in the 24 h, but not 48 h, following soccer match-play. Such information is likely of interest to those responsible for the design of soccer player's training schedules in the days following a match