Muscle Metabolism and Fatigue during Simulated Ice Hockey Match-Play in Elite Players

Abstract

Purpose The present study investigated muscle metabolism and fatigue during simulated elite male ice hockey match-play. Methods Thirty U20 male national team players completed an experimental game comprising three periods of 8 × 1-min shifts separated by 2-min recovery intervals. Two vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained either during the game (n = 7) or pregame and postgame (n = 6). Venous blood samples were drawn pregame and at the end of the first and last periods (n = 14). Activity pattern and physiological responses were continuously monitored using local positioning system and heart rate recordings. Further, repeated-sprint ability was tested pregame and after each period. Results Total distance covered was 5980 ± 199 m with almost half the distance covered at high skating speeds (>17 km·h−1). Average and peak on-ice heart rate was 84% ± 2% and 97% ± 2% of maximum heart rate, respectively. Muscle lactate increased (P ≤ 0.05) more than fivefold and threefold, whereas muscle pH decreased (P ≤ 0.05) from 7.31 ± 0.04 pregame to 6.99 ± 0.07 and 7.13 ± 0.11 during the first and last periods, respectively. Muscle glycogen decreased by 53% postgame (P ≤ 0.05) with ~65% of fast- and slow-twitch fibers depleted of glycogen. Blood lactate increased sixfold (P ≤ 0.05), whereas plasma free fatty acid levels increased 1.5-fold and threefold (P ≤ 0.05) after the first and last periods. Repeated-sprint ability was impaired (~3%; P ≤ 0.05) postgame concomitant with a ~10% decrease in the number of accelerations and decelerations during the second and last periods (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that a simulated ice hockey match-play scenario encompasses a high on-ice heart rate response and glycolytic loading resulting in a marked degradation of muscle glycogen, particularly in specific sub-groups of fibers. This may be of importance both for fatigue in the final stages of a game and for subsequent recovery.

Dietary Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intake over a 7-Day Period in Female Varsity Ice Hockey Players

“…The majority of CHO utilized during high-intensity training comes from the breakdown of muscle glycogen [ 29 , 30 ]. With CHO being used as a fuel for both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, it is relied heavily upon during stop-and-go sports like ice hockey [ 31 ]. The suggested minimum CHO requirement to maintain glycogen stores and support general training of all athletes in various training situations is ~5 g CHO/kg BM/day [ 32 ].…”

Internal Load of Female Varsity Ice Hockey Players During Training and Games During a Season

“…Ice hockey is characterized as a high-intensity intermittent team sport. The game consists of three 20-min periods, each separated by a 15-min intermission, and on-ice shifts typically last between 30 and 80 seconds, separated by rest periods of 2 -5 min on the bench [11][12][13]. Female ice hockey players have been shown to require high levels of both aerobic and anaerobic capabilities, along with strength, power, and agility capabilities [14,15].…”

Analysis of goal scoring opportunities in elite male ice hockey in relation to tactical and contextual variables

“…However, in soccer and team handball, is has been found that more goals are created in the end of the game (Alberti et al, 2013;T. Oliveira et al, 2012), which might be a consequence of physiological mechanisms leading to fatigue (Vigh-Larsen et al, 2020). Moreover, it has been demonstrated in ice hockey that physical performance is lower in third period compared to the beginning of the game (Lignell et al, 2018) and that elite male players experience extraordinary low muscle glycogen levels towards the last part of a game with concomitant fatigue development (Vigh-Larsen et al, 2020).…”

“…Oliveira et al, 2012), which might be a consequence of physiological mechanisms leading to fatigue (Vigh-Larsen et al, 2020). Moreover, it has been demonstrated in ice hockey that physical performance is lower in third period compared to the beginning of the game (Lignell et al, 2018) and that elite male players experience extraordinary low muscle glycogen levels towards the last part of a game with concomitant fatigue development (Vigh-Larsen et al, 2020). In soccer, it has been shown that score line during games (Lago-Peñas & Gomez-Lopez, 2014) and both psychological-and physiological fatigue impairs the technical-tactical performance (Smith et al, 2018).…”