Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Effects of a Novel Neuromuscular Training Intervention on Jump, Sprint, and Change of Direction in Adult Female Soccer Players
Published on: June 10, 2025
Can a Repeated Sprint Ability Test Help Clear a Previously Injured Soccer Player for Fully Functional Return to
Johnny Padulo1, Giuseppe Attene, Luca P Ardigò
1*University eCampus, Novedrate, Italy; †Sardinia Committee, Italian Olympic Committee, Cagliari, Italy; ‡Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Croatia; §Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, School of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; ¶School of Public Health, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Genoa University, Genoa, Italy; ‖Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, Genoa University, Genoa, Italy; **Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, London, United Kingdom; ††Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy; ‡‡Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Bauru, Brazil; and §§Science Life, Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports, Netanya, Israel.
Objective:
To investigate the effects of fatigue induced by a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test on the neuromuscular responses of soccer players with a recent history of lower limb injuries (CH) and a matched control group in good fitness condition (GH).
Design:
This was a case-control study.
Participants:
Nine CH and 9 GH.
Independent Variable:
Allocation to CH or GH.
Main Outcome Measures:
Each player was assessed for blood lactate concentration and jumping performance [squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ)] before/after RSA. Post-RSA rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was obtained. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to calculate RSA sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between CH and GH. Intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess reliability.
Results:
No baseline differences were found for any variable. ΔSJ before/after RSA was -14 ± 2% and -5 ± 2% in CH and GH, respectively (P < 0.05). ΔCMJ before/after RSA was -15 ± 2% and -7 ± 2% in CH and GH, respectively (P < 0.05). ΔSJ-based and ΔCMJ-based (before/after RSA) area under curve (AUC) resulted in 0.90 ± 0.07 and 0.86 ± 0.09, respectively, with both AUCs differentiating between CH and GH with 77.78% sensitivity and 88.89% specificity. Pooled AUC resulted in 0.88 ± 0.06. Intraclass correlation coefficient was high (0.85/0.97).
Conclusions:
Repeated sprint ability is a simple, low-cost field test potentially able to assist in clinical decision making for return to sport.
