Sharing information is probably more helpful than providing generic training recommendations on return to play after COVID-19 home confinement

Efectos del COVID-19 en la carga externa en el fútbol de alto nivel

Analizamos el efecto del cese de la competición por COVID-19 en el rendimiento físico de jugadores de fútbol de la 1ª división española). La muestra se estratificó en tres grupos: rondas 1ª-3ª; 25ª-27ª y 28ª-30ª. Las comparaciones por pares fueron Student-t y Mann-Whitney U. Usamos un valor p de ?0.05 como criterio para la significación estadística. Los valores de umbral para evaluar las magnitudes del tamaño del efecto se realizaron a través (d de Cohen). Tras el parón, las distancias recorridas aumentaron en los equipos locales y visitantes. Hubo un ligero descenso de los esfuerzos de alta intensidad entre el post-confinamiento y las jornadas (25ª-27ª). Comparados el 1er y 3er periodo, los valores fueron ligeramente superiores (rondas 28ª-30ª). Eso mismo se observó en las de aceleraciones y desaceleraciones, con mayores diferencias entre los periodos (1º y 3º). Hubo diferencias, cuando se comparó la reanudación con las jornadas previas al parón.

Structure of the training program during the COVID-19 confinement in spanish professional football, a coach survey

OBJECTIVES

To describe and analyze the training programs carried out during the COVID-19 forced confinement in men´s professional football in Spain.

METHODS

Observational Study based on a telematic ad-hoc questionnaire developed to meet the objective of the study. The sample consisted of thirty-six coaches representing thirty-six professional men's soccer teams in the Spanish first and second division.

RESULTS

Training programs developed during confinement prioritized conditioning and functional emphasis, in addition to general and nonspecific resistance training, due to contextual limitations.

CONCLUSION

The structure of training during the COVID-19 confinement was limited by contextual circumstances. This study has made possible to record the training and strategies used in professional football during a confinement due to a worldwide state of alarm, with the aim of resuming competitive activity in the best possible conditions.

The COVID-19 lockdown in Australia: a case study of exercise programming in male academy football players to prepare for return to play

PURPOSE

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced global lockdowns. Herein, we examine the effect of a lockdown exercise programme in a case-study of youth Australian A-league academy football players.

METHODS

Fifty-five u13-u15 age-grade players were provided with a 110 minute exercise programme including technical, tactical, cardiovascular and muscle strengthening exercises to perform 4 per week at home during the 10-week COVID-19 lockdown.

RESULTS

Pre/Post lockdown, maximum aerobic speed was determined via the 30-15 intermittent fitness test (IFT). Exercise compliance was high (78.5% CI72.2-83.8) with an average of 3.15 sessions completed each week. All time-loss (TL) and medical attention (MA) injuries were recorded. Pre/Post lockdown, no difference in the mean incidence or burden of total time-loss (TL), match TL, training TL or medical attention (MA) injuries or injury rate ratio (1.21 CI:0.85-2.74) was observed. Similarly, no difference was observed in any injury incidence or burden data or the injury rate ratio (1.53 CI:0.85-2.74) when comparing the 9-week period prior to lockdown with the first 9 weeks post lockdown (9v9 only). A 9.6% (p = <0.01) increase was also observed in Pre/Post 30-15 IFT composite scores (18.7 CI: 18.3-19.1 to 20.5 CI:20-21).

CONCLUSION

In this case study, compliance to the home-based exercise programme was high and no increase in injury was apparent. These findings must however be considered alongside the limitations associated within this case-study.

Training During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices of 12,526 Athletes from 142 Countries and Six Continents

Objective

Our objective was to explore the training-related knowledge, beliefs, and practices of athletes and the influence of lockdowns in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods

Athletes (n = 12,526, comprising 13% world class, 21% international, 36% national, 24% state, and 6% recreational) completed an online survey that was available from 17 May to 5 July 2020 and explored their training behaviors (training knowledge, beliefs/attitudes, and practices), including specific questions on their training intensity, frequency, and session duration before and during lockdown (March–June 2020).

Results

Overall, 85% of athletes wanted to “maintain training,” and 79% disagreed with the statement that it is “okay to not train during lockdown,” with a greater prevalence for both in higher-level athletes. In total, 60% of athletes considered “coaching by correspondence (remote coaching)” to be sufficient (highest amongst world-class athletes). During lockdown, < 40% were able to maintain sport-specific training (e.g., long endurance [39%], interval training [35%], weightlifting [33%], plyometric exercise [30%]) at pre-lockdown levels (higher among world-class, international, and national athletes), with most (83%) training for “general fitness and health maintenance” during lockdown. Athletes trained alone (80%) and focused on bodyweight (65%) and cardiovascular (59%) exercise/training during lockdown. Compared with before lockdown, most athletes reported reduced training frequency (from between five and seven sessions per week to four or fewer), shorter training sessions (from ≥ 60 to < 60 min), and lower sport-specific intensity (~ 38% reduction), irrespective of athlete classification.

Conclusions

COVID-19-related lockdowns saw marked reductions in athletic training specificity, intensity, frequency, and duration, with notable within-sample differences (by athlete classification). Higher classification athletes had the strongest desire to “maintain” training and the greatest opposition to “not training” during lockdowns. These higher classification athletes retained training specificity to a greater degree than others, probably because of preferential access to limited training resources. More higher classification athletes considered “coaching by correspondence” as sufficient than did lower classification athletes. These lockdown-mediated changes in training were not conducive to maintenance or progression of athletes’ physical capacities and were also likely detrimental to athletes’ mental health. These data can be used by policy makers, athletes, and their multidisciplinary teams to modulate their practice, with a degree of individualization, in the current and continued pandemic-related scenario. Furthermore, the data may drive training-related educational resources for athletes and their multidisciplinary teams. Such upskilling would provide athletes with evidence to inform their training modifications in response to germane situations (e.g., COVID related, injury, and illness).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40279-021-01573-z.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the epidemiology of soccer muscle injuries in Italian Serie A professional football players

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence that COVID-19 lockdown had on the epidemiology of soccer musculoskeletal injuries during 2019/2020 Italian First Football League Serie A in professional football players.

METHODS

In this retrospective study we analyzed records from media-based platform (Trasfermarkt, https://www.transfermarkt.com), describing the epidemiology of muscle injuries before and after the first COVID-19 lockdown phases in Italian professional football players. We also classified the severity of the injury as the number of missing days from participation.

RESULTS

We assessed a lower prevalence of post-lockdown injuries, albeit showing a similar injury rate at 1000 game-hours (pre-lockdown: 16.9 [13.0-20.7], post-lockdown: 15.5 [9.9-21.1]; RR: 0.92 [0.46-1.8]). All risk ratios for injury rate were not significantly different (p> .05) between pre- and post-lockdown.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of muscle injuries has not significantly changed after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italian professional soccer players. Recognizing injury rates might be crucial for physician to evaluate adequate preventive measures.

Relationship between Training Load Management and Immunoglobulin A to Avoid Immunosuppression after Soccer Training and Competition: A Theoretical Framework Based on COVID-19 for Athletes' Healthcare

Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is the main effector against upper respiratory tract viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been related to training load management. The aim of this systematic review was to establish the relationship between training load and salivary IgA based on current evidence in order to avoid immunosuppression after exercise and players´ vulnerability to virus contagion. A systematic review of relevant articles was carried out using two electronic databases (PubMed and Web of Science) until 19 May 2021. From a total of 127 studies initially found, 23 were included in the qualitative synthesis. These studies were clustered depending on stress level. The salivary IgA was analysed considering soccer-specific treadmill exercise and repeated sprint drills (n = 5), matches (n = 7), and during certain periods during the season or pre-season (n = 11). Repeated sprint ability tests and treadmill exercises are suitable exercises for the first steps on return to play periods yet still maintain social distance. A rest or moderate training sessions (technical/tactical) are suggested after official matches to ensure 16-18 h to recover IgA levels, while periods with multiple matches per week with limited recovery time should be avoided. Weekly training load should assume a small increment (<10%) to ensure IgA immune responses, especially, during the post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) season.

Playing Non-Professional Football in COVID-19 Time: A Narrative Review of Recommendations, Considerations, and Best Practices

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 resulted in widespread interruption of team sports training and competitions. Our aim was to review the recommendations and best practices in return to play in non-professional football after activity lockdown. The authors searched two electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science) to extract studies published before September 15 2020. Twenty studies explained recommendations, considerations, or best practices in return to play in football, and all of them were clustered into three groups: (1) training load management (n = 10), (2) medical recommendations (n = 9), and (3) recovery related issues (n = 5). The way to establish a progression in training process should be based on training load management and managing the number of stimuli per time. Following the studies, this training process should be divided into three phases: phase 1-physical distancing should be maintained; phases 2 and 3-group training should start. Medical considerations were clustered into different groups: general, pre- and post- training, during training, education, planning to return to competition, and suggestions for post confinement weeks. In particular, social issues, strict hygiene questions, and continuous PCR testing should be considered in return to play over football season. Finally, since a correlation has been found between high-intensive training loads and immunoglobulin A, nutritional and lifestyle recovery strategies should be performed. Moreover, since immunosuppression has been related to congested schedules (<72 h between matches), football federations should avoid this situation.

Responsibilities of archivist now and in the future as the result of COVID – 19; Case of ICA-SUV

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the strategies for the preservation of archival materials in the International Council on Archives Section on University and Research Institution Archives (ICA SUV) by the members and to make recommendations for the digital archival preservation to continue its accessibility during the national lockdown because of COVID–19.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the survey conducted on the ICA SUV members during the national lockdown. The study used a survey research methodology through e-mails as data collection instruments.

Findings

The key findings revealed that most of the sections on university and research institution archives lack digitization preservation strategies and most of their records are not accessible online, as most of their collections are still preserved manually through the paper-based system; furthermore, archivists are not fully trained on digital management. The paper recommends universities to develop preservation strategies to migrate records from the paper-based system to electronic records management system.

Research limitations/implications

The population of the study comprised ICA SUV members, who responded to the survey. Therefore, the sample size and geographical spread were inadequate for generalization of the findings. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that accessibility of the archives was dependent on the quality of digitized archives.

Practical implications

This study demonstrates that the development of a preservation strategy enhances access to archival materials during the national lockdown because of COVID–19.

Social implications

This paper highlights the plight of university archives and reiterates the need for urgent digitization of their archives of universities all over the world.

Originality/value

To the best of author’s knowledge, this paper appears to be the first to review the responsibilities of archivists now and in the future as the result of COVID–19. This study is confirmed to be on the positive side of COVID–19 and change the archive sector by adapting to information communication technology.