Key result
The COVID-19 lockdown was associated with decreased total and very high-speed running distances during matches among professional soccer players, while higher-intensity activities remained similar.
Why the study?
COVID-19 lockdown restricted 2019-20 Italian Serie A players to home training, which likely had detrimental effects on physical fitness and capacity.
Does the COVID-19 lockdown affect match physical activities in professional soccer players?
Observational (n=265)
Does the COVID-19 lockdown affect match physical activities in professional soccer players?
The COVID-19 lockdown led to decreases in total and very high-speed running distances during matches among professional soccer players, though higher-intensity activities remained stable.
May inform post-break conditioning in soccer; leaves open causal effects on performance and injury.
AIM: The COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2019-20 Italian Serie A competition to stop and players went into lockdown. During lockdown, players only trained at home, likely having a detrimental effect on players' physical fitness and capacity. This study investigated the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on professional soccer players' match physical activities. METHODS: Match activities of 265 male professional soccer players were assessed in two periods prior to (PRE1 and PRE2) and one period following the lockdown (POST) using a video tracking system. Linear mixed models were used to examine differences between-periods in total (TD), very high-speed (VHS), sprint (SPR), high-acceleration (ACC) and high-deceleration (DEC) distances, considering full match data and data from six 15-min intervals. RESULTS: small). Declines in most 15-min intervals after lockdown were observed in TD and VHS. CONCLUSIONS: There were small differences in the temporal distribution of SPR, ACC and DEC at POST. After the COVID-19 lockdown, soccer players' higher-intensity running activities were similar to those of games played before the lockdown, but TD and VHS decreased, both considering the entire match and 15-min intervals. The temporal distribution of running activities was mostly stable throughout the season.
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Rampinini et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Professional soccer players (n=265). COVID-19 lockdown vs. Pre-lockdown period was evaluated on Match physical activities including total, very high-speed, sprint, high-acceleration and high-deceleration distances. The COVID-19 lockdown was associated with decreased total and very high-speed running distances during matches among professional soccer players, while higher-intensity activities remained similar.
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