Youth soccer players need longer rest periods to prevent injury and ensure optimal recovery

Study: Unlocking Male Youth Soccer Players’ Peak Performance Potential: Exploring the Impact of Maturation, Age, and Physical Demands on Neuromuscular Injury Risk and Recovery Following Competitive Matchplay. Image Credit: matimix / Shutterstock

Two-day rest periods aren’t enough for young athletes, with muscle damage persisting for up to a week, risking performance drops and higher injury rates.

In a recent study published in the journal Youth, researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom conducted a comprehensive physiological assessment of the relationships between fatigue markers post-soccer matches and the optimal recovery periods. Their study cohort comprised 26 elite male academy players (U-14 = 14, U-16 = 12) evaluated across eight metrics of post-match fatigue, including perceived well-being. Assessments were conducted pre-match (baseline) and at 0-, 48-, 72-, 96-, and 120 h post-match.

Study findings reveal that landing mechanics were the only fatigue metric that remained unaffected following a competitive European league match. Player performance in all other metrics was observed to substantially decline significantly, ranging from 3.8{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} to 71.3{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} of baseline values. Notably, while most metrics returned to baseline values following 48 hours of rest, muscle damage markers, namely creatine kinase (CK) and urea (UR), remained elevated until 168 hours, highlighting that extended rest periods are required for muscle recovery. These findings underscore the necessity of personalized recovery strategies for young athletes to optimize performance and reduce injury risk.

Background

Young soccer players represent the future of the sport, making it the responsibility of their coaches and league policymakers to ensure their sustained growth and development without overexertion-associated bottlenecks or, worse, chronic injury. Previous research has attempted to investigate fatigue perception and performance degradation in young male players, particularly in aspects of force production, countermovement jumps (CMJ), sprint times, and physiological biomarker alterations (e.g., creatine kinase [CK] and urea [UR]). Despite the inconclusive results of earlier studies due to insufficient sample sizes and a limited range of metrics, they agree on one point: adequate recovery is crucial for sustained performance.

Despite these studies’ inconclusive results (often due to small sample sizes and narrow metric scopes), most agree that a 48-hour rest period is a minimum requirement for sustained performance across a typical male academy soccer competitive season (8-9 months). These findings have prompted policymakers to divide competitive seasons into 2-3 blocks, each comprising 10-15 microcycles of training (2-4 sessions) and one match, allowing up to seven days of post-match rest, but this does not account for between-game training sessions. Similar research on young female players suggests that two days of rest may not be enough, highlighting the need for gender-specific recovery guidelines.

About the study

The current prospective, observational, mixed longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the effects of post-soccer match physical performance and perceived well-being, and the time taken for their return to baseline, and to assess the impact of chronological age and players’ maturity status on these outcomes.

Data for the study was obtained from male youth outfield players (initial sample size of 72)  across two competition age classes (Under 14 [U-14] and Under 16 [U-16). Apriori sample size estimation using Cohen’s criteria revealed a minimum sample size of 12, given the study objectives. Participants with chronic musculoskeletal injuries or neuromuscular diseases, those without sufficient game time (<50{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} of match duration), and those missing matches or training sessions were excluded from the analysis.

Data collection included health questionnaires, physical tests, and during-match performance assessments using high-accuracy GPS devices with integrated gyroscope, magnetometer, and accelerometer capabilities. Muscle fatigue biomarkers (UR and CK), performance metrics (CMJ height, reactive strength index [RSI], 20 m sprint time, leg stiffness [LS], and landing mechanics), and player-reported perceived well-being were assessed using a randomized circuit-style approach to minimize testing bias.

Study findings

Of the 72 participants initially enrolled in the study, 26 (U-14 = 14, U-16 = 12) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics indicated that U-14 players had a mean age of 13.9 years, height of 1.63 m, and weight of 51.0 kg, while U-16 players averaged 15.1 years, 1.73 m in height, and 63.7 kg in weight.

Physical performance results revealed that, with landing mechanics being the sole exception, all other metrics of player physiological performance declined significantly following match playtime (CMJ height = -5.3{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}, RSI = -9.6{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}, 20 m sprint time = +3.8{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}, LS = -11.5{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}). Biomarkers of muscle damage depicted even more severe declines (CK = +71.3{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}, UR = +12.8{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}). Player-reported perceived well-being declined by -7.7{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}, partially capturing the measured performance losses. Notably, maturity and age class did not significantly alter any of these results.

Encouragingly, except for the muscle damage biomarkers (UR and CK), all other measured metrics returned to baseline values following 48 hours of complete rest. However, CK and UR required extended periods, highlighting the need for cautious management of post-match recovery periods in young players to prevent chronic fatigue and potential injury.  Across-season intra-player evaluations revealed that players with lower baseline values (ones that had not sufficiently recovered from their previous match) performed worse and were significantly more prone to injury.

Conclusions

The present study highlights the need for sufficient rest periods (minimum two days) between matches and rigorous soccer training sessions in the U-14 and U-16 age categories. The findings advocate for structured recovery programs tailored to individual player profiles, especially for those with lower training status or pre-existing fatigue, to enhance recovery and performance. Apart from landing mechanics, all eight evaluated performance and fatigue metrics presented significant declines following matches, with 48- to 168 hours required for complete recovery.

Notably, the cumulative impact of fatigue points to the risk of higher injury rates and potential long-term physical debilitation if not properly managed. Coaches and league officials are urged to integrate these findings into training and competition scheduling.