Abstract
Purpose
Studies have indicated upper body involvement during football, provoking long-term muscular adaptations. This study aimed at examining the acute metabolic response in upper and lower body skeletal muscle to football training organized as small-sided games (SSG).
Methods
Ten healthy male recreational football players [age 24 ± 1 (± SD) yrs; height 183 ± 4 cm; body mass 83.1 ± 9.7 kg; body fat 15.5 ± 5.4%] completed 1-h 5v5 SSG (4 × 12 min interspersed with 4-min recovery periods). Muscle biopsies were obtained from m. vastus lateralis (VL) and m. deltoideus (DE) pre- and post-SSG for muscle glycogen and metabolite analyses. Blood lactate samples were obtained at rest, middle and end of the SSG.
Results
Muscle glycogen in VL decreased (P < 0.01) by 21% and tended (P = 0.08) to decrease in DE by 13%. Muscle lactate increased in VL (117%; P < 0.001) and DE (81%; P < 0.001) during the game, while blood lactate rose threefold. Muscle ATP and PCr were unaltered, but intermuscular differences were detected for ATP at both time points (P < 0.001) and for PCr at pre-SSG (P < 0.05) with VL demonstrating higher values than DE, while muscle creatine rose in VL (P < 0.001) by 41% and by 22% in DE (P = 0.02). Baseline citrate synthase maximal activity was higher (P < 0.05) in VL compared to DE, whereas baseline muscle lactate concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in DE than VL.
Conclusion
The upper body may be extensively involved during football play, but besides a rise in muscle lactate in the deltoideus muscle similar to the leg muscles, the present study did not demonstrate acute metabolic changes of an order that may explain the previously reported training effect of football play in the upper extremities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Change history
24 June 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04984-6
References
Ahlborg G, Felig P (1982) Lactate and glucose exchange across the forearm, legs, and splanchnic bed during and after prolonged leg exercise. J Clin Invest 69(1):45–54. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci110440
Ahlborg G, Jensen-Urstad M (1991) Metabolism in exercising arm vs. leg muscle. Clin Physiol 11(5):459–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-097x.1991.tb00818.x
Andersen LL, Blangsted AK, Nielsen PK, Hansen L, Vedsted P, Sjøgaard G, Søgaard K (2010) Effect of cycling on oxygenation of relaxed neck/shoulder muscles in women with and without chronic pain. Eur J Appl Physiol 110(2):389–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1517-4
Bangsbo J (1994) Energy demands in competitive soccer. J Sports Sci 12 Spec No:S5-12
Bangsbo J, Madsen K, Kiens B, Richter EA (1996) Effect of muscle acidity on muscle metabolism and fatigue during intense exercise in man. J Physiol 495(Pt 2):587–596. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1996.sp021618
Bates D, Mächler M, Bolker B, Walker S (2015) Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. J Stat Softw 67(1):1–48. https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v067.i01
Bendiksen M, Bischoff R, Randers MB, Mohr M, Rollo I, Suetta C, Bangsbo J, Krustrup P (2012) The Copenhagen Soccer Test: physiological response and fatigue development. Med Sci Sports Exerc 44(8):1595–1603. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31824cc23b
Bergstrom J (1962) Muscle electrolytes in man determined by neutron activation analysis on needle biopsy specimens. Scand J Clin Lab Invest (England) 14(Suppl 68)
Bizzini M, Dvorak J (2015) FIFA 11+: an effective programme to prevent football injuries in various player groups worldwide—a narrative review. Br J Sports Med 49(9):577–579. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-094765
Chudalla R, Baerwalde S, Schneider G, Maassen N (2006) Local and systemic effects on blood lactate concentration during exercise with small and large muscle groups. Pflugers Arch 452(6):690–697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-006-0082-5
Dellal A, Hill-Haas S, Lago-Penas C, Chamari K (2011) Small-sided games in Soccer: amateur vs. professional players’ physiological responses, physical, and technical activities. J Strength Cond Res 25(9):2371–2381. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4296
Fransson D, Nielsen TS, Olsson K, Christensson T, Bradley PS, Fatouros IG, Krustrup P, Nordsborg NB, Mohr M (2018a) Skeletal muscle and performance adaptations to high-intensity training in elite male soccer players: speed endurance runs versus small-sided game training. Eur J Appl Physiol 118(1):111–121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3751-5
Fransson D, Vigh-Larsen JF, Fatouros IG, Krustrup P, Mohr M (2018b) Fatigue responses in various muscle groups in well-trained competitive male players after a simulated soccer game. J Hum Kinet 61:85–97. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0129
Helge JW (2010) Arm and leg substrate utilization and muscle adaptation after prolonged low-intensity training. Acta Physiol (oxf) 199(4):519–528. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.2010.02123.x
Helge JW, Damsgaard R, Overgaard K, Andersen JL, Donsmark M, Dyrskog SE, Hermansen K, Saltin B, Daugaard JR (2008) Low-intensity training dissociates metabolic from aerobic fitness. Scand J Med Sci Sports 18(1):86–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00604.x
Hopkins W, Marshall S, Batterham A, Hanin J (2009) Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41(1):3
Juel C, Klarskov C, Nielsen JJ, Krustrup P, Mohr M, Bangsbo J (2004) Effect of high-intensity intermittent training on lactate and H+ release from human skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 286(2):E245-251. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00303.2003
Kiilerich K, Birk JB, Damsgaard R, Wojtaszewski JF, Pilegaard H (2008) Regulation of PDH in human arm and leg muscles at rest and during intense exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 294(1):E36-42. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00352.2007
Krustrup P, Krustrup BR (2018) Football is medicine: it is time for patients to play! Br J Sports Med 52(22):1412–1414. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099377
Krustrup P, Mohr M, Ellingsgaard H, Bangsbo J (2005) Physical demands during an elite female soccer game: importance of training status. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37(7):1242–1248. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000170062.73981.94
Krustrup P, Mohr M, Steensberg A, Bencke J, Kjaer M, Bangsbo J (2006) Muscle and blood metabolites during a soccer game: implications for sprint performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38(6):1165–1174. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000222845.89262.cd
Krustrup P, Christensen JF, Randers MB, Pedersen H, Sundstrup E, Jakobsen MD, Krustrup BR, Nielsen JJ, Suetta C, Nybo L, Bangsbo J (2010) Muscle adaptations and performance enhancements of soccer training for untrained men. Eur J Appl Physiol 108(6):1247–1258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1319-8
Krustrup P, Williams CA, Mohr M, Hansen PR, Helge EW, Elbe AM, de Sousa M, Dvorak J, Junge A, Hammami A, Holtermann A, Larsen MN, Kirkendall D, Schmidt JF, Andersen TR, Buono P, Rørth M, Parnell D, Ottesen L, Bennike S, Nielsen JJ, Mendham AE, Zar A, Uth J, Hornstrup T, Brasso K, Nybo L, Krustrup BR, Meyer T, Aagaard P, Andersen JL, Hubball H, Reddy PA, Ryom K, Lobelo F, Barene S, Helge JW, Fatouros IG, Nassis GP, Xu JC, Pettersen SA, Calbet JA, Seabra A, Rebelo AN, Figueiredo P, Póvoas S, Castagna C, Milanovic Z, Bangsbo J, Randers MB, Brito J (2018) The “Football is Medicine” platform-scientific evidence, large-scale implementation of evidence-based concepts and future perspectives. Scand J Med Sci Sports 28(Suppl 1):3–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13220
Krustrup P, Mohr M, Nybo L, Draganidis D, Randers MB, Ermidis G, Ørntoft C, Røddik L, Batsilas D, Poulios A, Ørtenblad N, Loules G, Deli CK, Batrakoulis A, Nielsen JL, Jamurtas AZ, Fatouros IG (2021) Muscle metabolism and impaired sprint performance in an elite women’s football game. Scand J Med Sci Sports. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13970
Lenth RV (2021) emmeans: estimated Marginal Means, aka Least-Squares Means. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=emmeans
Lindinger MI, Heigenhauser GJ, McKelvie RS, Jones NL (1990) Role of nonworking muscle on blood metabolites and ions with intense intermittent exercise. Am J Physiol 258(6 Pt 2):R1486-1494. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.1990.258.6.R1486
Lowry OH, Passonneau JV (1972) A flexible system of enzymatic analysis. Academic Press, New York
Mannion AF, Jakeman PM, Willan PL (1993) Determination of human skeletal muscle buffer value by homogenate technique: methods of measurement. J Appl Physiol 75(3):1412–1418
Mohr M, Nielsen TS, Weihe P, Thomsen JA, Aquino G, Krustrup P, Nordsborg NB (2017) Muscle ion transporters and antioxidative proteins have different adaptive potential in arm than in leg skeletal muscle with exercise training. Physiol Rep. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.13470
Nordsborg NB, Connolly L, Weihe P, Iuliano E, Krustrup P, Saltin B, Mohr M (2015) Oxidative capacity and glycogen content increase more in arm than leg muscle in sedentary women after intense training. J Appl Physiol (1985) 119(2):116–123. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00101.2015
Nybo L, Girard O, Mohr M, Knez W, Voss S, Racinais S (2013) Markers of muscle damage and performance recovery after exercise in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc 45(5):860–868. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31827ded04
Ørtenblad N, Nielsen J, Saltin B, Holmberg HC (2011) Role of glycogen availability in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ kinetics in human skeletal muscle. J Physiol 589(Pt 3):711–725. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2010.195982
Ørtenblad N, Nielsen J, Boushel R, Soderlund K, Saltin B, Holmberg HC (2018) The muscle fiber profiles, mitochondrial content, and enzyme activities of the exceptionally well-trained arm and leg muscles of elite cross-country skiers. Front Physiol 9:1031. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01031
Passonneau JV, Lowry OH (1993) Enzymatic analysis: a practical guide. The Humana Press Inc, Totowa
Pedersen MT, Randers MB, Skotte JH, Krustrup P (2009) Recreational soccer can improve the reflex response to sudden trunk loading among untrained women. J Strength Cond Res 23(9):2621–2626. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c701b6
Putman CT, Matsos MP, Hultman E, Jones NL, Heigenhauser GJ (1999) Pyruvate dehydrogenase activation in inactive muscle during and after maximal exercise in men. Am J Physiol 276(3):E483-488. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.1999.276.3.E483
R Core Team (2020) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. https://www.R-project.org/
Randers MB, Mujika I, Hewitt A, Santisteban J, Bischoff R, Solano R, Zubillaga A, Peltola E, Krustrup P, Mohr M (2010a) Application of four different football match analysis systems: a comparative study. J Sports Sci 28(2):171–182
Randers MB, Nielsen JJ, Krustrup BR, Sundstrup E, Jakobsen MD, Nybo L, Dvorak J, Bangsbo J, Krustrup P (2010b) Positive performance and health effects of a football training program over 12 weeks can be maintained over a 1-year period with reduced training frequency. Scand J Med Sci Sports 20(Suppl 1):80–89. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01091.x
Randers MB, Nielsen JJ, Bangsbo J, Krustrup P (2014) Physiological response and activity profile in recreational small-sided football: no effect of the number of players. Scand J Med Sci Sports 24(Suppl 1):130–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12232
Randers MB, Ørntoft C, Hagman M, Nielsen JJ, Krustrup P (2018) Movement pattern and physiological response in recreational small-sided football - effect of number of players with a fixed pitch size. J Sports Sci 36(13):1549–1556. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2017.1402552
Varley MC, Aughey RJ (2013) Acceleration profiles in elite Australian soccer. Int J Sports Med 34(1):34–39. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1316315
Vigh-Larsen JF, Ermidis G, Rago V, Randers MB, Fransson D, Nielsen JL, Gliemann L, Piil JF, Morris NB, De Paoli FV, Overgaard K, Andersen TB, Nybo L, Krustrup P, Mohr M (2020) Muscle metabolism and fatigue during simulated ice hockey match-play in elite players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 52(10):2162–2171. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002370
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the great effort and dedication shown by the participants. Moreover, we want to thank Farzad Yousefian and Carlo Castagna for technical assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
JP, SP, JS, KS, PK, MM and MBR designed research. JP, JFVL, GE, SP, PK, MM, and MBR conducted experiments. JP, JFVL, MM, and MBR analyzed data. All authors contributed to the interpretation of results. JP, MM, and MBR wrote the manuscript. All authors read, commented on, and approved the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The study was supported by the Danish Ministry of Culture (FPK.2018-0074). The authors have no competing interests related to this study.
Additional information
Communicated by Michael I Lindinger.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The original online version of this article was revised: There was a mistake in table 2.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Panduro, J., Vigh-Larsen, J.F., Ermidis, G. et al. Acute arm and leg muscle glycogen and metabolite responses to small-sided football games in healthy young men. Eur J Appl Physiol 122, 1929–1937 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04970-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04970-y