Recovery Optimization Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Injuries in Soccer Players

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT06920966

University of Castilla-La Mancha25 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate if recovery interventions using cold and hot water immersion can reduce the risk of injuries in amateur soccer players. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do cold water immersions reduce muscle fatigue and improve performance more effectively than hot water immersions? What is the optimal timing and duration for these recovery interventions to maximize their effectiveness? Researchers will compare: Cold Water Immersion (CWI) Hot Water Immersion (HWI) No Immersion (NI) Thermographic Immersion (TI) based on individual thermal profiles Participants will: Undergo thermographic assessments to determine their thermal profiles. Perform physical tests such as isometric strength tests, countermovement jumps (CMJ), and squats with 50% body weight. Complete wellness questionnaires to assess their subjective recovery and fatigue levels. Provide blood and urine samples for biomarker analysis. Participate in recovery interventions (CWI, HWI, or TI) based on their assigned group.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Muscle Fatigue (C23.888.592.612.612)Athletic Injuries (C26.857.500.124)

Interventions

Cold Water Immersion (CWI)OTHER

Participants undergo five intermittent immersions of 2 minutes each in cold water (11°C), with 2-minute rest periods in between.

Hot water immersion (HWI)OTHER

Participants undergo a continuous immersion of 18 minutes in hot water (38°C)

Thermography-Guided Immersion (TI)OTHER

Based on thermographic assessments, participants with a hypothermic profile (decreased temperature) receive hot water immersion, while those with a hyperthermic profile (increased temperature) receive cold water immersion.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 40 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: Age: Participants must be adults (18 years or older). Gender: Both male and female participants are eligible. Sport: Participants must be amateur football players. Team Membership: Participants must be members of a football team in the Castilla-La Mancha regional category. Consent: Participants must provide written informed consent to participate in the study. Health: Participants must be in good general health, with no chronic illnesses or conditions that would contraindicate participation in physical activity or water immersion. Exclusion Criteria: Injury: Participants who have sustained an injury that prevents them from participating in football activities for at least two weeks during any of the study blocks. Medical Conditions: Participants with medical conditions that contraindicate water immersion (e.g., severe cardiovascular conditions, open wounds, skin infections). Withdrawal: Participants who choose to withdraw from the study at any point. Non-compliance: Participants who do not comply with the study protocol or fail to attend scheduled sessions. Pregnancy: Female participants who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study period.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Muscle Fatigue Reduction:

Evaluated through changes in biomarkers such as creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and myoglobin levels, measured at multiple time points (pre- and post-intervention).

Time frame: From pre-intervention to 48 hours post-intervention

Countermovement Jump (CMJ) test

Assessed using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test (cm)

Time frame: From pre-intervention to 48 hours post-intervention.

Isometric Strenght Test (Hamstrings)

Assessed using isometric strength tests for the hamstrings (N)

Time frame: From pre-intervention to 48 hours post-intervention.

Isometric Strenght Test (Adductor)

Assessed using isometric strength tests for the adductors (N)

Time frame: From pre-intervention to 48 hours post-intervention.

Squat Performance

Assessed using squat performance with 50% body weight (reps)

Time frame: From pre-intervention to 48 hours post-intervention.

Secondary Outcomes

Perceived Recovery

Description: Assessed using the Wellness Questionnaire, which includes questions on perceived recovery. Unit of Measure: Score on a scale (1-10) Details: Higher scores indicate better perceived recovery.