Effects of Strength Training Program and Infrared Thermography in Soccer Athletes Injuries

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a periodized strength training program and the use of infrared thermography (IRT) in injuries mapping in under 20-year-old (U-20) soccer players. In this study, 26 professional soccer players participated in strength training (ST) twice a week and were tested with IRT consistently across the 1-year. Strength, vertical jump, heat differences and injuries were tracked and analyzed. Results: 69 injuries occurred during 12 months of tracking; most identified injuries were: contusions, sprains, strains to the thigh (n = 16), ankle (n = 15) and knee (n = 12). Differences (>7 °C) in IRT patterns were noted among injured and non-injured athletes. Significant improvements in strength (p < 0.005) were found for vertical jump, bench press, front lat pull down, shoulder press, leg press, leg curl and squat. Number of injuries decreased from 23 (33.3%) to 14 (20.3%) when early year rates were compared to late year (p < 0.005). Combined ST and IRT represent useful strategies for reducing injuries among U-20 soccer players.

Utilização da termografia como marcador de treinamento e prevenção de lesões nos esportes: uma revisão sistemática no voleibol

“…A terceira pesquisa, ainda sobre o futebol, foi de Menezes et al (2018). O objetivo desta investigação foi examinar os efeitos de um programa de treinamento de força periodizado e o uso da termografia por infravermelho no mapeamento de lesões em atletas de futebol com menos de 20 anos de idade.…”

“…A diversidade de métodos remete ao entendimento que há prevalência de métodos validados para o acompanhamento da termografia e como forma de identificar/prevenir lesões musculoesqueléticas. Entretanto, na pesquisa de Menezes et al (2018) o desenho metodológico utilizado não permite a geração de dúvidas a respeito do método utilizado (Termografia por infravermelho), o que aponta ser um método efetivo.…”

Correlation between skin temperature in the lower limbs and biochemical marker, performance data, and clinical recovery scales

“…Thus, our study had a rigorous screening process for including images for correlation analysis. Unlike other thermographic studies [ 14 , 18 , 20 ], this study analyzed 14 ROIs in the anterior and 14 posterior regions, thus ensuring that no muscle could be excluded from the assessment since, in the soccer scenario, the incidence of injuries is located in more significant quantities in muscles of the lower limb [ 3 ].…”

“…The literature shows that asymmetries, equal or above 1°C between contralateral limbs, can indirectly indicate–through an installed inflammatory process–a potential risk of injuries related to training and competition load [ 7 , 17 , 18 ] and that early detection of different temperature values between the contralateral limbs, followed by an injury prevention protocol, can significantly reduce the number of injuries during the season [ 17 , 18 ]. However, there is still little scientific evidence and conflicting results regarding its applicability within different sports scenarios in the literature [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Infrared Thermal Imaging for Evaluation of Clubfoot After the Ponseti Casting Method—An Exploratory Study

“…Currently, there are number of studies used infrared thermography to screen existing medical conditions or progress of the disease, and evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment methods (20). For instance, thermography evaluation for coccygodynia after manipulative therapy (24), ankle sprains (25), open heart surgeries, reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD), and neurological conditions (26), deep vein thrombosis (27,28), soccer athletes injuries (29,30), muscle injuries (31), as a diagnostic evaluation and validation tool for osteopathic management in backpain (32), tendinopathy (33), gastrocnemius-soleus equinus (30), postoperative evaluation for total knee arthroplasty (34), hand-osteoarthritis (35), rheumatoid arthritis (36), juvenile rheumatoid Arthritis (37), knee-osteoarthritis (38), and for detecting the skin and breast cancer, burns, arthritis and skin allergic conditions (39).…”