Abstract
Purpose: Examine changes from 90-minutes of competitive match-play in countermovement jump (CMJ), creatine kinase (CK) and urine osmolality (Uosm) in elite football players over a season and their association to match external load.
Methods: Eighteen football players participated. CMJ, CK and Uosm were collected 24-h pre-match and 48-h post-match. Match-performance data was examined using Prozone®.
Results: Post-match CK concentrations increased 49 % (ES: 0.66), while CMJ flight-time (FT), flight time: contraction time ratio (FT:CT), take-off velocity (TV) and average power (AP) decreased 2.4-7.4 % post-match (ES: 0.39-0.63). CMJ height post-match reduced 4.2 % (ES: 0.35). CMJ FT and AP showed associations with high intensity distance covered (HID), high intensity number (HIN), explosive sprints (EXS) and medium intensity accelerations (r = -0.395 to -0.496). Changes in CMJ FT also displayed associations to total sprint distance (TSD), total sprint number (TSN) and medium intensity decelerations (r = -0.395 to -0.446, P < 0.05). Increases in CMJ CT were associated with HIN (r = 0.39), and CMJ AF with HIN, EXS and medium accelations/decelerations (r = -0.397 to 0.459) completed during the match.
Conclusion: CMJ outputs from the push-off phase and countermovement phase were sensitive to change in neuromuscular fatigue. CK concentrations were sensitive to match-play demands. This helps practitioners determine player readiness and has implications for individual recovery strategies.