AL-AHLI SAUDI EDUCATION

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Al-Ahli Saudi FC

COACHING THE COACHES

PHYSICAL COACHES WORKSHOP

FATIGUE MANAGEMENT

RECOVERY STRATEGIES

Al-Ahli Saudi FC

Performance stabilisation

Fitness – Fatigue model

Recovery Strategies

Loading Strategies

Tapering Strategies

Match

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Fatigue management

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RECOVERY

Main principles

ENDURANCE

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SPEED

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STRENGHT

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STRENGHT

Figure X. Standard Weekly Pattern

(Adapted from Oliveira, G. 2007)

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OFF Sub-principles

RECOVERY

Main principles

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SPEED

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ACTIVATION

GAMEGAME

Fatigue

Professional soccer players are exposed to demanding competition schedules and can be easily exposed to 70 games in a single competitive season (King and Duffield, 2009).

Effects of match play

Playing competitive soccer involves eccentric work, particularly during competition, resulting in varying levels of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD).

This EIMD is characterized by delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) (Impellizzeri et al., 2008), decreased muscle function (Jakeman et al., 2009), impaired performance (Reilly and Ekblom, 2005), and increased perceived fatigue (Twist and Eston, 2009).

EIMD / DOMS

http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/304/5/E453

Recovery strategies

Although the recovery process is initiated automatically, it can be assisted by appropriate recovery strategies.

The capacity to recover from training and competition is therefore an important determinant in soccer performance (Kellmann, 2002; Odetoyinbo et al., 2009).

Autonomic nervous system

Brake

Parasympathetic

Gas pedal

Sympathetic

Autonomic Nervous System

Recovery between high-intensity efforts

In conclusion, it seems better to recover passively between intensive bouts during a match, but the recommendation that players should walk or stand still during and following bouts of repeated sprinting needs to be coordinated with tactical windows of opportunity.

Recovery post-match

Several studies have demonstrated that it takes more than 72 hours to reach prematch values for physical performance and normalize muscle damage and inflammation (Andersson et al., 2008).

The magnitude of match-induced fatigue, extrinsic factors (e.g., match result, quality of the opponent, match location, playing surface, environmental conditions) and/or intrinsic factors (e.g., training status, age, sex, muscle fiber typology), could influence the time course of recovery (Nédélec et al. 2012).

Classification

Recovery strategies are broadly classified into two categories (Bompa, 1999): active and passive recovery.

Timing of recovery

Recovery commences immediately after the match by using nutritional strategies to replenish glycogen stores and drinking water or carbohydrate beverages to restore fluid balance. With the next competitive match 3–7 days away, a recovery training session is often planned the next day as well. It is still unclear whether immediate post-match recovery offers additional benefits when compared to a traditional next-day recovery.

Is it really necessary to start active recovery sessions immediately after the game, or can this wait until the next day?

Post match recovery

Dawson and colleagues (2005) investigated four types of immediate post-match recoveries:

1. Control (i.e., no proactive recovery): The players were instructed to perform no recovery procedures other than eating (fruit), drinking (water and soft drinks), and showering.

2. Stretching: The players were led through 15 minutes of gentle static stretching of the legs and back, involving two or three reps of 30s-held stretches across several muscle groups and joints.

3. Pool walking: The players were taken through 15 minutes of easy walking (moving forwards, backwards and sideways) in the shallow end of a 28°C swimming pool.

4. Hot/Cold cycling: The players alternated between standing in a hot (~ 45°C) shower for two minutes and standing waist deep in icy water (~12°C) for one minute, repeated until five hot and four cold exposures had been completed. Additional ice was added to the cold water as required to maintain a constant temperature.

The authors concluded that performing any form of immediate post-match recovery did not significantly enhance the recovery of muscle soreness, flexibility and power within the first 48 hours following a game when compared to just performing a “next-day” recovery training session.

Recovery between mid-week matches

The recovery time between two matches in a week seems sufficient to maintain levels of physical performance, but it is not long enough to maintain a low injury rate. Adequate recovery strategies are necessary to maintain a low injury rate among soccer players during periods of congested match fixtures (Dupont, 2010).

Am J Sports Med 2010 38: 1752 originally published online April 16, 2010Gregory Dupont, Mathieu Nedelec, Alan McCall, Derek McCormack, Serge Berthoin and Ulrik WisløffEffect of 2 Soccer Matches in a Week on Physical Performance and Injury Rate

Active recovery

Active recovery (Baldari et al., 2004; Tessitore et al., 2007):• reduces muscle soreness (Reilly, 1998)• increases muscle-damage recovery (Gill et al., 2006)• prevents venous pooling in the muscles after maximal effort • restores metabolic perturbations (Bangsbo et al., 1994; Bogdanis et al., 1996)• increases lactate clearance. (Maximum clearance occurred at active recovery close to the lactate threshold (Menzies et al., 2010). However, for team sports like soccer, lactate removal is not a determining factor, as matches are generally 3–9 days apart.)

Running activities

Running activities followed by static stretching could reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. However, the research is inconclusive about the effects of low-intensity running exercises on recovery.

Pool sessions

Exercising in water has been suggested by some researchers (Dowzer and Reilly, 1998; Oda et al., 1999; Suzuki et al., 2004).

The advantages of running in water (aquajogging or deep-water running) over normal running are numerous:• It avoids excessive eccentric actions, especially in deep water.• It naturally massages the muscles (via the water turbulence).• It reduces mechanical load on the joints.• It aids recovery from musculoskeletal fatigue.• It increases the physiological and psychological indices of relaxation.

Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in elite female soccer: effects of active recoveryAndersson, Helena ; Raastad, Truls ; Nilsson, Johnny ; Paulsen, Gøran ; Garthe, Ina ; Kadi, FawziMedicine and science in sports and exercise, 2008, Vol.40(2), pp.372-80

Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in elite female soccer: effects of active recoveryAndersson, Helena ; Raastad, Truls ; Nilsson, Johnny ; Paulsen, Gøran ; Garthe, Ina ; Kadi, FawziMedicine and science in sports and exercise, 2008, Vol.40(2), pp.372-80

Stretching

Stretching

Sometimes recommended as a recovery strategy in order to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness and improve range of motion.

Contradicted findings were published by Wessel and Wan (1994) who found that stretching before or after exercise did not improve DOMS.

Coaches should be careful in applying stretching after intensive training or match play. This causes exercise-induced muscle damage, and post-exercise stretching can potentially cause further trauma.

In conclusion, serious stretching after an intensive training or game is contraindicated for recovery.

Cold water immersion

Cold-water immersion (CWI)

These are the possible mechanisms of post-exercise cooling: It reduces pain and swelling, having an anti-inflammatory

effect and reducing the potential for DOMS. It causes vaso-constriction, which increases blood flow and

metabolic transportation post-exercise. Additionally, CWI may decrease nerve transmission speed

(Wilcock, 2006) and alter the receptor threshold, leading to decreased pain perception.

There may also be a psychological mechanism whereby the body feels more “awake” and perceives a reduced sensation of fatigue after exercise (Cochrane, 2004).

Based on the available literature, the recommendation is for a whole-body immersion lasting 10–20 minutes in a water temperature of 10–15°C (Halson, 2011).

Compression garments

Compression garments

Various research has suggested that CGs: increase the removal of cellular debris, moderate the formation of oedema associated with EIMD, attenuate muscle oscillation, change sub-maximal oxygen usage during exercise, alleviate swelling, and reduce perceived muscle soreness during post-exercise

recovery offer mechanical support (dynamic casting effect) to the

muscle, allowing faster recovery following damaging exercise (Kraemer et al., 2001).

In conclusion, wearing CGs might support recovery and reduce DOMS, and no detrimental effects have been reported. Players could be encouraged to use compression socks during recovery or taper, particularly when travelling by car or plane.

Sleep

Research speculates that sleep supports improvements in sport performance, because during phases of deep sleep, growth hormone is released.

Sleep deprivation:• reduces the ability to store glycogen• reduces decision-making quality and reflexes• increases stress hormones (cortisol)• negatively affects recovery. (Skein et al. (2013) examined the effects of overnight sleep deprivation on recovery following competitive rugby league matches. They found that sleep deprivation negatively affects recovery, specifically impairing CMJ distance and cognitive function.)• lowers levels of growth hormone needed to help repair the body

Recommendations for females aged 18+ and males aged 19+ (Samuels,

2008)

Ensure a comfortable sleep environment when travelling and competing.

Monitor for competition stress and anxiety insomnia. Observe sleep to identify sleep disorders. Maintain a regular sleeping and napping routine. Monitor for a delayed sleep phase, such as difficulty falling

asleep and waking up for school. Get early-morning light exposure for 30 minutes daily. Maintain reliable nutrition routines. Breakfast is the most

important meal of the day. Focus on reducing sleep debt. Get 56–70 hours of sleep

per week. Do not train if unrested and sleep deprived. Avoid technology (e.g., PCs, smartphones, tablets) before

bed.

Psychological strategies

In this regard, the athlete has been described as a “psychosocio-physiological entity” (Kenttä and Hassmén, 2002).

Venter (2012) investigated the perceptions of team athletes on the importance of recovery modalities. The results from this study demonstrated that team players do perceive psychosocial aspects to be among the most important recovery modalities.

“psychosocio-physiological entity”

Psychological strategies

Organize a debriefing after each game. Set realistic goals. Social networks can help players deal with the problems,

disappointments, joys and stresses of life (Quinn and Fallon, 1999). Appoint players carefully for media demands and sponsor needs. Reframe goals if long-term goals look difficult to reach. Give players space to develop effective pre- and post-match strategies. Social support may increase performance (Freeman and Rees, 2008). Try to protect players from the negative impact of stressors (Botterill

and Wilson, 2002; Rees and Hardy, 2004). Encourage players to create a playlist of music they enjoy that generates

a range of moods and atmospheres so as to produce a stimulating or calming effect (Calder, 2000).

Do not force players into post-match recovery strategies that are perceived as stressful.

Encourage friends and teammates to provide listening and emotional support; challenge evaluation of attitudes, values and feelings; express appreciation; and motivate other players to greater excitement and involvement (Barefield and McCallister, 1997).

Massage

There is limited scientific evidence showing that massage might assist in recovery strategies (Monedero and Donne, 2000).

Recent research by Jakeman et al. (2010) reported that a combined treatment of a 30-minute manual massage and a 12-hour lower-limb compression significantly decreased perceived soreness at 48 and 72 hours after plyometric exercise when compared to passive recovery or compression alone. This was confirmed by Hilbert et al. (2003) when they reported moderated muscle-soreness ratings 48 hours after exercise when a massage was administered 2 hours after eccentric exercise.

Massage should be carefully administered after intensive training or match play, since massage can possibly counter the natural recovery process of the body. Some researchers even suggest that a massage should not be applied after training or a match because post-exercise massage could cause further trauma when training or match play has caused EIMD (Barnett, 2006).

Finally , it seems that the training level of the therapist affects the effectiveness of massage (Moraska, 2007).

Recommendations:

Replenish glycogen stores immediately after a match (intake of carbohydrates). (Metabolic window)

Consume proteins to assist muscle regeneration.Don’t drink alcohol before or after a match.Warm up properly, because this will decrease post-

match DOMS.Restore fluid balance.Do not use massage immediately after the matchReplenish electrolytes.Sleep a minimum of 10 hours for each of the two days

following a match (sleep extension).

Recommendations:

Take a daily nap of 25 minutes after lunch (between 1pm and 4pm).

Avoid any eccentric work in the two days following the match. Avoid explosive actions, such as sprinting or shooting drills, in the

48 hours after a match. Organize a debriefing and set realistic goals after the match. Organize whole-body, cold-water immersion lasting 10–20 minutes

at a water temperature of 10–15°C. (This may be after the game or the day after.)

Avoid stressful situations. Customize recovery and don’t oblige players to participate in

recovery strategies that could be perceived as stressful. Explain the use of the recovery strategies. Focus on mental recovery after the game.

Take home lesson

Recovery = manipulating the autonomic nervous system -> stimulating parasympathetic dominance

Reduce psychosocio-physiological stress

Thank you