Mixed-methods pre-match cooling improves simulated soccer performance in the heat.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Thermoregulation

Background:

• Heat stress significantly impairs physical performance, particularly in sports like soccer played in warm environments.
• Pre-match and half-time cooling strategies are employed to mitigate heat's negative effects on athletes.
• The efficacy of different cooling methods on soccer-specific performance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of three cooling interventions (ice slurry ingestion, ice packs, and mixed-methods) on soccer players' physical performance.
• To assess the physiological and perceptual responses to these cooling methods during a soccer-specific intermittent performance test (iSPT) in the heat (30°C).
• To determine the optimal timing and type of cooling for enhancing performance in soccer.

Main Methods:

• Eight university soccer players participated in four randomized trials: ice slurry ingestion (SLURRY), ice packs (PACKS), mixed-methods (MM), and no-cooling control (CON).
• Cooling interventions were applied pre-match (30 min) and half-time (15 min).
• Performance was assessed using a non-motorized treadmill-based iSPT, measuring total, high-speed, and variable run distances, alongside physiological (rectal and skin temperature) and perceptual (thermal sensation) data.

Main Results:

• The mixed-methods (MM) cooling strategy significantly increased total, high-speed, and variable run distances during the first half of the iSPT compared to the control.
• MM cooling also led to significant reductions in thermal sensation, rectal temperature, and skin temperature during the first half.
• Neither SLURRY nor PACKS improved first-half performance, and no cooling condition affected second-half iSPT performance. Rectal temperature increased in the SLURRY condition at 45 minutes.

Conclusions:

• Pre-match mixed-methods cooling (ice slurry and ice packs) is effective in augmenting first-half soccer performance during the iSPT in the heat.
• The benefits of MM cooling are likely linked to improved peripheral and central thermoregulation, positively influencing initial performance.
• Further research is needed to develop effective half-time cooling strategies that can sustain performance benefits into the second half of soccer matches.