Neuromuscular responses and physiological patterns during a soccer simulation protocol. Artificial turf versus...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Physiology

Background:

• Recent studies indicate comparable soccer player performance on artificial turf (AT) and natural grass (NG).
• However, the impact of these surfaces on players' muscular and physiological responses remains unclear.
• This research investigates surface-specific effects on physiological and neuromuscular outcomes during a soccer simulation protocol (SSP).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the influence of playing surface (AT vs. NG) on physiological patterns.
• To evaluate the impact of AT and NG on neuromuscular responses during a soccer-specific protocol.
• To compare player responses across different bouts of a soccer simulation protocol.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen amateur soccer players participated in the study.
• Players completed a soccer simulation protocol (SSP) on both AT and NG surfaces.
• Physiological responses, muscle behavior (tensiomyography of rectus femoris and biceps femoris), and jump performance were measured before and after the SSP.

Main Results:

• Surfaces exhibited distinct mechanical properties, yet no significant differences in peak or mean heart rate were observed.
• Half-relaxation time of the rectus femoris decreased on NG, while biceps femoris sustain time increased on AT post-SSP.
• No significant differences in contra-movement jump performance were found between the AT and NG surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Despite differing mechanical properties, AT and NG do not elicit significantly different physiological and neuromuscular responses in soccer players.
• The study suggests that playing on AT should result in comparable neuromuscular responses to playing on NG.
• These findings contribute to understanding the implications of playing surfaces on athlete physiology and performance.