Time course of eccentric hamstring strength recovery after a competitive match in under-20-year-old football players

Elite football teams often compete under congested schedules with less than 72 h between matches; however, whether this period is sufficient for eccentric hamstring strength recovery remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the time course of eccentric hamstring strength recovery following an official football match in elite male under-20-year-old players.

Twenty outfield players (18 ± 1 years) from two football academies who completed ≥80 min in the first official match of the season were assessed one day pre-match (baseline) and approximately 24, 48, and 72 h post-match (MD+1, MD+2, and MD+3). Peak eccentric hamstring strength was simultaneously assessed in both limbs while performing the Nordic hamstring exercise. The assessment's relative minimal detectable change (MDC; 15.9%) was used to assess individual responses; players were classified as 'not recovered' when the percentage strength reduction from baseline was equal to or exceeding this threshold.

When data from both limbs were pooled, eccentric hamstring strength was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than baseline at MD+1 (16 ± 10% reduction) and MD+2 (13 ± 9% reduction), but not at MD+3 (8 ± 9% reduction). Conversely, individual response analysis revealed that 40% of players still had at least one limb classified as not recovered at MD+3.

Eccentric hamstring strength returned to baseline at the group level within 72 h after a competitive match, but individual recovery remained heterogeneous. These findings support the use of individualized monitoring to optimize load management in elite youth football.