Practical nutritional recovery strategies for elite soccer players when limited time separates repeated matches
Ranchordas et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Practical nutritional recovery strategies for elite soccer players when limited time separates repeated matches
Mayur Krachna Ranchordas 0
Joel T. Dawson 2
Mark Russell 1
0 Sheffield Hallam University, Academy of Sport & Physical Activity , A220 Collegiate Hall, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield S102BP , UK
1 School of Social and Health Sciences, Leeds Trinity University , Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HD , UK
2 Stoke City Football Club , bet365 Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 4EG , UK
Specific guidelines that aim to facilitate the recovery of soccer players from the demands of training and a congested fixture schedule are lacking; especially in relation to evidence-based nutritional recommendations. The importance of repeated high level performance and injury avoidance while addressing the challenges of fixture scheduling, travel to away venues, and training commitments requires a strategic and practically feasible method of implementing specific nutritional strategies. Here we present evidence-based guidelines regarding nutritional recovery strategies within the context of soccer. An emphasis is placed on providing practically applicable guidelines for facilitation of recovery when multiple matches are played within a short period of time (i.e. 48 h). Following match-play, the restoration of liver and muscle glycogen stores (via consumption of ~1.2 g⋅kg−1⋅h−1 of carbohydrate) and augmentation of protein synthesis (via ~40 g of protein) should be prioritised in the first 20 min of recovery. Daily intakes of 6-10 g⋅kg−1 body mass of carbohydrate are recommended when limited time separates repeated matches while daily protein intakes of >1.5 g⋅kg−1 body mass should be targeted; possibly in the form of multiple smaller feedings (e.g., 6 × 20-40 g). At least 150% of the body mass lost during exercise should be consumed within 1 h and electrolytes added such that fluid losses are ameliorated. Strategic use of protein, leucine, creatine, polyphenols and omega-3 supplements could also offer practical means of enhancing post-match recovery.
Soccer; Nutrition; Recovery; Polyphenols; Omega-3; Creatine; Fixture; Congestion
Background
Over the course of a 45 week season, professional European
soccer teams may play in excess of 60 competitive
matches [
1, 2
] and thus at specific times of the year,
multiple matches will be played within a single week
[1]. Notwithstanding the additional match demands of
the pre-season period, it is common for players to
compete in 2–3 matches within an 8 day period (see Fig. 1
for a typical weekly schedule for an English Premier
League team) on multiple occasions throughout the
season. It should be noted that the notion of limited
recovery between soccer matches is not unique to the
English Premier League as fixture congestion is also
common among U.S. University teams as well as youth
teams who play multiple games in a weekend. Up to
120 h are required to restore disturbances in metabolic
and physical performance indices that result from
soccer match-play [
3
]. Injury risk has been observed to
increase when less than 96 h separates games [
1, 2
] and
the reduced recovery time between matches played in
FIFA World Cup competitions is perceived to be a
primary cause of injury in professional soccer players
[4]. Therefore, the ability to facilitate post-match
recovery is desirable.
Accumulated fatigue can arise from a repetition of
matches and training performed within a short period of
time (e.g., daily training with matches separated by
~48 h; 5). The demands of a congested fixture schedule
means that recovery duration may sometimes be less
than optimal when seeking to maintain physical
performance and a low injury rate. Indeed, a reported
6.2fold higher injury rate occurred in players who played
two matches a week compared to one and the majority
of these injuries (i.e., 76%) were reported to be caused
by overuse [
5
]. As muscle injuries constitute almost
one third of the time lost in men’s professional soccer
[
6
], it appears that amassed fatigue during a congested
fixture period may contribute to both
underperformance and/or elevated injury risk [
3
]; particularly in the
final 15 min of a match [
7
]. Notably, when three games
are played within a week, repeated sprint performance
is compromised (more so after the second game) and
muscle soreness is increased, knee range of motion is
impaired, and muscle damage, oxidative stress, and
inflammatory markers are perturbed [
8
]. While it must
be acknowledged that the extent of exposure to periods
of match congestion in professional soccer players may
be limited [
9
], when such periods do occur,
performance is likely compromised and injury risk may be
elevated [
7
].
A number of interventions have been proposed to
facilitate post-exercise recovery, including, but not
limited to: cold water immersion, active recovery,
co (...truncated)