Effects of minor Gaelic football match play on markers of muscle damage, delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle function
Sheridan, Dermot
(2021)
Effects of minor Gaelic football match play on markers of muscle damage, delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle function.
Master of Science thesis, Dublin City University.
Purpose: This study examined the alterations in circulating creatine kinase (CK) levels, leukocyte trafficking, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle function in response to Gaelic football match-play in male adolescents.
Methods: Participants (n=30, age 17.41 ± 0.78 yr, height 176.42 ± 7.13 cm, and mass 72.03 ± 6.49 kg) played a specially organised 15-a-side Gaelic Football game of 60 min duration. Blood samples were taken before the game, immediately post-game (Post), 12 h postgame (12 h), 36 h post game (36 h) and 60 h post game (60 h). Subjective muscle soreness, sprint performance and peak force were measured post, 12 h, 36 h and 60 h. Heart rate and movement patterns were continuously measured throughout the game using telemetry and GPS tracking, respectively. Heavy to severe impacts were classified as acceleration G-forces ³ 7 recorded via portable accelerometry.
Results: Participants covered an average distance of 6.1 ± 1.1 km during match play. The majority (72%) of the distance involved walking and jogging and high speed and maximal activity accounted for 10% of the total distance. There was a total of 155 impacts ≥ 7 G-forces. C K levels were significantly higher than baseline immediately post-game and 12 h and returned to pregame values at 36 h. Compared to pre-match values circulating leukocytes and granulocytes were significantly higher than pre-game values immediately after the game and decreased significantly below pre-games values at 12h, 36 h and 60 h. Circulating lymphocyte numbers were significantly decreased below immediately post game and at 36 h post game. There was no change in the number of circulating monocytes. Compared to pre-game values, there was a significant decrease in peak force at 12 h and 60 h and a significant increase in 5 m and 20 m sprint times at 12 h, 36 h and 60 h. DOMS scores were significantly higher than pre-games values at 12 h and 36 h and lower (p<0.05) than pre-game values at 60 h. There was no significant relation between impacts and CK levels.
Conclusion: Competitive Gaelic football match results in significant changes in CK levels, DOMS, leukocyte trafficking, peak force and 5 m and 20 m sprint performance.