Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players
Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between acute and chronic loads, and the fatigue response within male elite professional football players. Design: 40-week longitudinal study across the 2021–2022 season in the English Championship. Methods: Twenty-thre...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/6/176 |
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| author | Alastair Harris Tim J. Gabbett Rachel King Stephen P. Bird Peter Terry |
| author_facet | Alastair Harris Tim J. Gabbett Rachel King Stephen P. Bird Peter Terry |
| author_sort | Alastair Harris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between acute and chronic loads, and the fatigue response within male elite professional football players. Design: 40-week longitudinal study across the 2021–2022 season in the English Championship. Methods: Twenty-three outfield football players had workload measured using global positioning system (Distance, High-Intensity Distance and Sprint Distance) and perceived exertion. Load-response was measured via a perceived wellbeing questionnaire, counter-movement jump (CMJ) and salivary immunoglobulin A. Results: General estimating equation models identified 18 significant interactions between workload and load-response markers. Thirteen significant interactions were found between acute and chronic workloads and CMJ variables, jump height, eccentric duration and flight contraction time. A poor CMJ was observed when acute sprint workload was >+1 standard deviation and chronic distance increased. However, when chronic perceived exertion increased, and acute sprint workload was >+1 standard deviation an advantageous response was detected on counter movement jump variables. The S-IgA response to acute and chronic workload was more variable; when chronic loads were >+1 standard deviation above mean values and acute workload increased, salivary immunoglobulin A was both suppressed and elevated depending on the interacting acute variable. Higher chronic workload was associated with better perceived wellbeing, even when acute workload was >+1 standard deviation above the mean. Conclusion: In general, low chronic workloads and acute spikes in workload were associated with poorer neuromuscular and immune function. Furthermore, CMJ performance and perceived wellbeing improved when chronic workloads were higher, despite the occurrence of acute spikes in workload. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a9239cc13d6e40a0948bbf4b97215ded |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj-art-a9239cc13d6e40a0948bbf4b97215ded2025-08-20T03:29:52ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632025-05-0113617610.3390/sports13060176Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football PlayersAlastair Harris0Tim J. Gabbett1Rachel King2Stephen P. Bird3Peter Terry4AFC Bournemouth, Dorset BH7 7AF, UKGabbett Performance Solutions, Brisbane 4011, AustraliaSchool of Mathematics, Physics and Computing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, AustraliaSchool of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich 4305, AustraliaSchool of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, AustraliaObjectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between acute and chronic loads, and the fatigue response within male elite professional football players. Design: 40-week longitudinal study across the 2021–2022 season in the English Championship. Methods: Twenty-three outfield football players had workload measured using global positioning system (Distance, High-Intensity Distance and Sprint Distance) and perceived exertion. Load-response was measured via a perceived wellbeing questionnaire, counter-movement jump (CMJ) and salivary immunoglobulin A. Results: General estimating equation models identified 18 significant interactions between workload and load-response markers. Thirteen significant interactions were found between acute and chronic workloads and CMJ variables, jump height, eccentric duration and flight contraction time. A poor CMJ was observed when acute sprint workload was >+1 standard deviation and chronic distance increased. However, when chronic perceived exertion increased, and acute sprint workload was >+1 standard deviation an advantageous response was detected on counter movement jump variables. The S-IgA response to acute and chronic workload was more variable; when chronic loads were >+1 standard deviation above mean values and acute workload increased, salivary immunoglobulin A was both suppressed and elevated depending on the interacting acute variable. Higher chronic workload was associated with better perceived wellbeing, even when acute workload was >+1 standard deviation above the mean. Conclusion: In general, low chronic workloads and acute spikes in workload were associated with poorer neuromuscular and immune function. Furthermore, CMJ performance and perceived wellbeing improved when chronic workloads were higher, despite the occurrence of acute spikes in workload.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/6/176acute workloadchronic workloadload-responseadaptation |
| spellingShingle | Alastair Harris Tim J. Gabbett Rachel King Stephen P. Bird Peter Terry Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players Sports acute workload chronic workload load-response adaptation |
| title | Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players |
| title_full | Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players |
| title_short | Influence of Acute and Chronic Load on Perceived Wellbeing, Neuromuscular Performance, and Immune Function in Male Professional Football Players |
| title_sort | influence of acute and chronic load on perceived wellbeing neuromuscular performance and immune function in male professional football players |
| topic | acute workload chronic workload load-response adaptation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/6/176 |
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