Salter, Jamie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7375-1476, Julian, Ross, Mentzel, Stijn, Hamilton, Alastair, Hughes, Jonathan and De Ste Croix, Mark (2024) Maturity status influences perceived training load and neuromuscular performance during an academy soccer season. Research in Sports Medicine, 32 (2). pp. 235-247.

Preview	Text MS influences TL and NM performance in academy soccer.pdf - Accepted Version Download (364kB) | Preview
	Text MS influences TL and NM performance in academy soccer.docx - Accepted Version Download (335kB)

Abstract

Commonly we see large within-age-group variations in physique, including body mass, stature, and percentages of predicted adult height, which suggests that age-specified training loads are flawed. Aims were to investigate how maturation impacts training load and neuromuscular response within academy soccer and, to provide recommendations for practitioners. Fifty-five male soccer players (age 14.5 ± 1.2 years; stature 172 ± 10 cm; body mass 59.8 ± 10 kg; 94.1 ± 1.8 % predicted adult height) reported differential ratings of perceived exertion (AU) across a season. Neuromuscular performance (countermovement jump, reactive strength index, absolute and relative leg stiffness) was measured using at three timepoints across the season. Perceived exertion and neuromuscular performance were examined using linear mixed modelling, supplemented with non-clinical magnitude-based decisions. Analysis indicates every 5% increase in maturity status results in players perceiving overall session intensity 6.9 AU lower and 13.9 AU lower for a 10% maturity shift. Both 5% and 10% changes in maturity most likely resulted in higher countermovement jump, with likely to very likely differences observed for RSI and ABS. Maturity substantially influences neuromuscular performance over the season. Therefore, maturity-specific load prescription may prevent significant within age-group differences in accumulated load, possibly reducing injury risk and/or burnout.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	"This is an accepted version of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Research in Sports Medicine on 21/07/2022 available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15438627.2022.2102916"
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1080/15438627.2022.2102916
Subjects:	Q Science > QP Physiology R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/6454

University Staff: Request a correction | RaY Editors: Update this record