Key result
Fast muscle typology linked to ~61% greater decay in high acceleration distance versus slow typology.
Why the study?
Positional differences in muscle typology remain unclear, and whether the decay in high-intensity match activities from first to second half is larger in fast typology versus slow typology football players was unknown.
Does fast muscle typology increase the decay in high-intensity running activities from the first to the second half in male professional football players?
Observational (n=147)
Does fast muscle typology increase the decay in high-intensity running activities from the first to the second half in male professional football players?
Professional football players with fast muscle typology experience a greater decline in high-intensity running activities from the first to the second half compared to those with slow or intermediate typology.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Fast muscle typology was associated with greater high-intensity decay in professional football; extends laboratory observations while leaving causality and interventions open.
Muscle typology is heterogeneous among national level football (soccer) players, but positional differences remain unclear. Furthermore, fast typology (FT) individuals fatigue more than slow typology (ST) individuals in lab conditions. Therefore, we investigated if muscle typology is different between playing positions and if the decay in high‐intensity activities from the first to the second half is larger in FT football players than in ST players. We estimated muscle typology in 147 male professional football players by measuring soleus and gastrocnemius muscle carnosine via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Players were classified as ST, intermediate typology (IT) or FT and categorized as goalkeeper, center back, full back, midfielder, winger or forward. Across four seasons in‐game distances covered in multiple running speed, acceleration and deceleration zones were collected during the first and second half. We found no differences in muscle typology between positions ( p = 0.412). FT players covered 10.9% more high acceleration distance (>3 m.s −2 ) in the first half than ST players ( p = 0.021) and high acceleration distance decay was larger for FT players (−12.4%) than ST (−7.7%; p = 0.006) and IT players (−7.3%; p = 0.010). Moreover, the decline in distance covered in several high‐intensity zones tended to be larger in FT players (−11.2% high‐intensity >15 km.h −1 ; −12.7% high deceleration <−3 m.s −2 ; −11.5% medium acceleration 2‐3 m.s −2 ) than in ST players (−7.1% high‐intensity; −8.1% high deceleration; −8.1% medium acceleration; 0.05 < p < 0.1). In conclusion, possessing a particular muscle typology is not required to play any football position at the national level. However, there are indications that FT players might fatigue more toward the end of the game compared to ST players.
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Casteele et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Professional football players (n=147). Fast muscle typology vs. Slow and intermediate muscle typology was evaluated on High acceleration distance decay from first to second half (p=0.006). Fast muscle typology players experienced a larger decay in high acceleration distance from the first to the second half compared to slow typology players (-12.4% vs -7.7%; p=0.006).
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