Influence of football match time–motion parameters on recovery time course of muscle damage and jump ability

ABSTRACTWe analysed the time course of recovery of creatine kinase (CK) and countermovement jump (CMJ) parameters after a football match, and correlations between changes in these variables and match time–motion parameters (GPS-accelerometry) in 15 U-19 elite male players. Plasma CK and CMJ height (CMJH), average concentric force (CMJCON) and average eccentric force (CMJECC) were assessed 2 h before and 30 min, 24 h and 48 h post-match. There were substantially higher CK levels 30 min, 24 h and 48 h (ES: 0.43, 0.62, 0.40, respectively), post-match. CMJECC (ES: −0.38), CMJH (ES: −0.35) decreased 30 min post, CMJCON (ES: −0.35), CMJECC (ES: −0.35) and CMJH (ES: −1.35) decreased 24 h post, and CMJCON (ES: −0.41) and CMJH (ES: −0.53) decreased 48 h post. We found correlations between distance covered at velocities ≤21 km · h−1 and changes in CK at 24 h (r = 0.56) and at 48 h (r = 0.54) and correlations between CK and distance covered >14 km · h−1 (r = 0.50), accelerations (r = 0.48), and decelerations (r = 0....