Sided Games in Soccer TrainingNCT03970707
Recovery Kinetics After the Use of Small Sided Games With a Small and Large Number of Players and Large Pitch Area
A study testing Small Number of Players training protocol A and Large Number of Players training protocol B in people with Sided Games in Soccer Training, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
Trial summary
Soccer is an intermittent sport in which the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of the players are both essential. Elite football players perform an average of 150-250 short and intense movements during a match, demonstrating the significant contribution of the anaerobic energy system. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sided Games in Soccer Training
- What is being tested?
- Small Number of Players training protocol A and Large Number of Players training protocol B
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 10 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGreece
- Study dates
- 30 Aug 2019to 30 Sep 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Absence of any musculoskeletal injury for at least 6 months prior to the study
- No use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for at least 6 months prior to the study
- Absence of regular soccer training for the last 3 years
Who cannot join
- Any recent incidence of musculoskeletal injury
- Use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for the last 6 months
- Regular soccer training for the last 3 years-
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Greece1 site
SmArT LABORATORY, SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY
Trikala, 42100
About this study
Official title: Investigation on Recovery Kinetics After the Use of Small Sided Games With a Small and Large Number of Players and Large Pitch Area
Soccer is an intermittent sport in which the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of the players are both essential. Elite football players perform an average of 150-250 short and intense movements during a match, demonstrating the significant contribution of the anaerobic energy system. Sided-games is a tool to enhance the performance of the aerobic and anaerobic system. This training includes actions such as sprinting, changes of direction, accelerations, decelerations, jumps, and shooting, characterized by a strong eccentric component. Eccentric actions are associated with exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Nevertheless, to date, EIMD responses following a session of sided games training have not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the speed of recovery after training with a large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes in football.
Read the detailed description
Football is an intermittent sport that includes actions of variable intensities and combines elements of physical fitness with technical and tactical skills. The game is characterized by a combination of several short-term movements such as jumps and change of direction. Typically, a player in a soccer game changes his kinetic situation every 4-6 seconds. The mean and maximum heart rate during the fight is approximately 85% and 98% of the maximum heart rate, respectively, while the average oxygen uptake is 70% of the maximum, proving that the aerobic system contributes significantly during the game. In addition, the lactic acid value in the blood ranges from 2 to 14 mM, which proves that also the anaerobic energy system contributes significantly during a game. Based on the above, the training of soccer players must meet the physiological and physiological requirements of the game.
There are two approaches to developing fitness. In the first, there is a distinction between fitness training technical skills and tactics, while the second attempts to achieve all of them at the same time, and for that purpose, the sided games are used. The first approach refers to the literature as a traditional form of physical fitness training and contains the ball and run exercises. It is part of the training unit and separates the physical conditioning from the technique and tactics, resulting in longer training time. Moreover, although this training achieves the necessary physiological adaptations, the piece of game specialization is missing. For this reason, coaches have been interested in the sided games with restrictions, combining physical, technical, and tactical elements. The coach can modify these games to achieve the training goal each time. During training with racing blocks, a similar or even higher heart rate has been observed on soccer players compared with the short-term intermittent exercise. The intensity of the exercise on the sided games is controlled by several variables that the coach can modify according to the training goal. Many variables can affect the training load such as pitch area, the number of players, and other restrictions (e.g., goalkeepers, contact limitation, etc.). In the application of sided games with large dimension and a small number of players, the maximum heart rate can reach 84-90% while with a large number of players it can reach 84-88%. There is a lack of references regarding rehabilitation after the implementation of sided games, and especially after the execution of large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes. The aim of the proposed study is, therefore, to examine the speed of recovery after training with a large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes in football.
- Conditions
- Sided Games in Soccer Training
- Being tested
- Small Number of Players training protocol A, Large Number of Players training protocol B
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Small Number of Players training protocol AOther
8 participants each side game (4vs4), size of pitch area 25*20 m. In total, 6 consecutive 4-minutes bouts interspersed by a 3-minutes rest between each bout will be executed.
Large Number of Players training protocol BOther
16 participants each side game (8vs8), size of pitch area 25*20 m. In total, 3 consecutive 8-minutes bouts interspersed by a 1-minutes rest between each bout will be executed.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Small Number of Players training protocol A | Experimental | Small Sided Game: 4 vs 4 Receives: Other: Small Number of Players training protocol A |
| Large Number of Players training protocol B | Experimental | Small Sided Game: 8 vs 8 Receives: Other: Large Number of Players training protocol B |
| Control | No intervention | No training protocol will be performed, the participants will perform only the measurements for performance and muscle damage and neuromuscular fatigue |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Differences in changes in creatine kinase (CK) between the two training protocols
Creatine kinase (CK) is a muscle damage marker
Measured: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) between the two training protocols
Delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) is a muscle damage marker
Measured: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Maximal concentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Maximal eccentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Secondary outcomes (5)
Differences in changes in countermovement jump between the two training protocols
Countermovement jump is used as a performance marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) between the two training protocols
Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) is a performance marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Maximal concentric strength is used as a performance marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Maximal eccentric strength is used as a performance marker
Measured: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal isometric strength between the two training protocols
Maximal isometric strength is used as a neuromuscular fatigue marker
Measured: Baseline, Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted31 May 2019
- Study start30 Aug 2019
- Primary completion30 Aug 2020 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2020 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Sided Games in Soccer TrainingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ThessalyThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Thessaly
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ioannis G. Fatouros, University of Thessaly
- Investigators
- Ioannis G Fatouros, PhD, Principal investigator, DPESS, School of Physical Education, Sport & Dietetics, University of Thessaly
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03970707
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REKI-SSG
- Status last verified
- Mar 2020
- First submitted
- 29 May 2019
- Last updated
- 20 Mar 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Mohr M, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Match performance of high-standard soccer players with special reference to development of fatigue. J Sports Sci. 2003 Jul;21(7):519-28. doi: 10.1080/0264041031000071182.
PubMed 12848386Ade JD, Harley JA, Bradley PS. Physiological response, time-motion characteristics, and reproducibility of various speed-endurance drills in elite youth soccer players: small-sided games versus generic running. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2014 May;9(3):471-9. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2013-0390. Epub 2014 Feb 7.
PubMed 24509482Fatouros IG, Chatzinikolaou A, Douroudos II, Nikolaidis MG, Kyparos A, Margonis K, Michailidis Y, Vantarakis A, Taxildaris K, Katrabasas I, Mandalidis D, Kouretas D, Jamurtas AZ. Time-course of changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant status responses following a soccer game. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Dec;24(12):3278-86. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b60444.
PubMed 19996787Hill-Haas SV, Dawson B, Impellizzeri FM, Coutts AJ. Physiology of small-sided games training in football: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2011 Mar 1;41(3):199-220. doi: 10.2165/11539740-000000000-00000.
PubMed 21395363Owen AL, Wong DP, Paul D, Dellal A. Physical and technical comparisons between various-sided games within professional soccer. Int J Sports Med. 2014 Apr;35(4):286-92. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1351333. Epub 2013 Sep 10.
PubMed 24022576
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Mar 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation on Recovery Kinetics After the Use of Small Sided Games With a Small and Large Number of Players and Large Pitch Area
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03970707
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REKI-SSG
- Conditions
- Sided Games in Soccer Training
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ThessalyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Aug 2020 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2020 (estimated)
- First posted
- 31 May 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Soccer is an intermittent sport in which the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of the players are both essential. Elite football players perform an average of 150-250 short and intense movements during a match, demonstrating the significant contribution of the anaerobic energy system. Sided-games is a tool to enhance the performance of the aerobic and anaerobic system. This training includes actions such as sprinting, changes of direction, accelerations, decelerations, jumps, and shooting, characterized by a strong eccentric component. Eccentric actions are associated with exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Nevertheless, to date, EIMD responses following a session of sided games training have not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the speed of recovery after training with a large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes in football.
Detailed description
Football is an intermittent sport that includes actions of variable intensities and combines elements of physical fitness with technical and tactical skills. The game is characterized by a combination of several short-term movements such as jumps and change of direction. Typically, a player in a soccer game changes his kinetic situation every 4-6 seconds. The mean and maximum heart rate during the fight is approximately 85% and 98% of the maximum heart rate, respectively, while the average oxygen uptake is 70% of the maximum, proving that the aerobic system contributes significantly during the game. In addition, the lactic acid value in the blood ranges from 2 to 14 mM, which proves that also the anaerobic energy system contributes significantly during a game. Based on the above, the training of soccer players must meet the physiological and physiological requirements of the game.
There are two approaches to developing fitness. In the first, there is a distinction between fitness training technical skills and tactics, while the second attempts to achieve all of them at the same time, and for that purpose, the sided games are used. The first approach refers to the literature as a traditional form of physical fitness training and contains the ball and run exercises. It is part of the training unit and separates the physical conditioning from the technique and tactics, resulting in longer training time. Moreover, although this training achieves the necessary physiological adaptations, the piece of game specialization is missing. For this reason, coaches have been interested in the sided games with restrictions, combining physical, technical, and tactical elements. The coach can modify these games to achieve the training goal each time. During training with racing blocks, a similar or even higher heart rate has been observed on soccer players compared with the short-term intermittent exercise. The intensity of the exercise on the sided games is controlled by several variables that the coach can modify according to the training goal. Many variables can affect the training load such as pitch area, the number of players, and other restrictions (e.g., goalkeepers, contact limitation, etc.). In the application of sided games with large dimension and a small number of players, the maximum heart rate can reach 84-90% while with a large number of players it can reach 84-88%. There is a lack of references regarding rehabilitation after the implementation of sided games, and especially after the execution of large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes. The aim of the proposed study is, therefore, to examine the speed of recovery after training with a large-dimension pitch area with a small and large number of athletes in football.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Small Number of Players training protocol A | Experimental | Other: Small Number of Players training protocol ASmall Sided Game: 4 vs 4 |
| Large Number of Players training protocol B | Experimental | Other: Large Number of Players training protocol BSmall Sided Game: 8 vs 8 |
| Control | No intervention | –No training protocol will be performed, the participants will perform only the measurements for performance and muscle damage and neuromuscular fatigue |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Absence of any musculoskeletal injury for at least 6 months prior to the study
- No use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for at least 6 months prior to the study
- Absence of regular soccer training for the last 3 years
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Any recent incidence of musculoskeletal injury
- Use of any drugs or ergogenic supplements for the last 6 months
- Regular soccer training for the last 3 years-
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Small Number of Players training protocol A8 participants each side game (4vs4), size of pitch area 25*20 m. In total, 6 consecutive 4-minutes bouts interspersed by a 3-minutes rest between each bout will be executed. | Other | Small Number of Players training protocol A |
| Large Number of Players training protocol B16 participants each side game (8vs8), size of pitch area 25*20 m. In total, 3 consecutive 8-minutes bouts interspersed by a 1-minutes rest between each bout will be executed. | Other | Large Number of Players training protocol B |
Primary outcome
Differences in changes in creatine kinase (CK) between the two training protocols
Time frame: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Creatine kinase (CK) is a muscle damage marker
Differences in changes in delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) between the two training protocols
Time frame: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) is a muscle damage marker
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal concentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Maximal eccentric strength is used as a muscle damage marker
5 secondary outcomes
Differences in changes in countermovement jump between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal concentric strength between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal eccentric strength between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Differences in changes in maximal isometric strength between the two training protocols
Time frame: Baseline, Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Mar 2020.
- Background: PubMed 12848386Mohr M, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Match performance of high-standard soccer players with special reference to development of fatigue. J Sports Sci. 2003 Jul;21(7):519-28. doi: 10.1080/0264041031000071182.
- Background: PubMed 24509482Ade JD, Harley JA, Bradley PS. Physiological response, time-motion characteristics, and reproducibility of various speed-endurance drills in elite youth soccer players: small-sided games versus generic running. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2014 May;9(3):471-9. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2013-0390. Epub 2014 Feb 7.
- Background: PubMed 19996787Fatouros IG, Chatzinikolaou A, Douroudos II, Nikolaidis MG, Kyparos A, Margonis K, Michailidis Y, Vantarakis A, Taxildaris K, Katrabasas I, Mandalidis D, Kouretas D, Jamurtas AZ. Time-course of changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant status responses following a soccer game. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Dec;24(12):3278-86. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b60444.
- Background: PubMed 21395363Hill-Haas SV, Dawson B, Impellizzeri FM, Coutts AJ. Physiology of small-sided games training in football: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2011 Mar 1;41(3):199-220. doi: 10.2165/11539740-000000000-00000.
- Background: PubMed 24022576Owen AL, Wong DP, Paul D, Dellal A. Physical and technical comparisons between various-sided games within professional soccer. Int J Sports Med. 2014 Apr;35(4):286-92. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1351333. Epub 2013 Sep 10.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ioannis G Fatouros, PhD principal investigator
DPESS, School of Physical Education, Sport & Dietetics, University of Thessaly
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Small Number of Players training protocol A and Large Number of Players training protocol B in people with Sided Games in Soccer Training, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Mar 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Greece. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Differences in changes in creatine kinase (CK) between the two training protocols (time frame: Pre-protocol, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03970707, which also lists 5 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Mar 2020.