The effect of recovery methods after a session of exhaustive activity on some performance indicators and muscle damage in teenage soccer players

Performing activity without returning to the proper initial state can lead to structural damage to the muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of recovery methods after a session of exhausting activity on some performance indicators and muscle injury in male soccer players.

Thirty-six active football players of Birjand city with an average weight of 60.13± 15.65 kg, height 173.02 ±10.98 cm and age of 16.47 ± 1.53 years, were purposefully selected and randomly divided into four groups of nine people (including: passive recovery, active recovery, floating in cold water and recovery through massage). Subjects in each group first performed one session of strenuous exercise to the point of exhaustion and then participated in a 20-minute recovery procedure. Functional indices and muscle damage were measured before acute debilitating activity and immediately after recovery.

The effect of recovery methods after one session of acute debilitating activity on lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase levels in male soccer players was not significant = Pck = 0.19 and PLDH = 0.2. While active recovery and immersion in cold water improved and increased the speed and vertical power of male soccer players (P = 0.04) and (P = 0.01).

Considering the positive effects of active recovery and immersion in cold water on the speed and vertical strength of male soccer players, it seems that using this method between training and competitive sessions will improve the performance of soccer players.