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Enrolling by invitation NCT07170930

The Effect of a Training Programme in the Variation of Fitness Parameters, Physiological, Hematological and Biochemical Indicators of Soccer Players During the Preseason Period

— Observational Athletic Performance Soccer Muscle Damage Inflammation

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
The protocol lists: Friendly Match-Play Exposure: extended vs. limited.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Athletic Performance, Soccer, Muscle Damage, Inflammation. Basic parameters: 18 years — 35 years · Male.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
Greece
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

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Overview

The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of varying friendly match-play exposure during the late pre-season on physiological, biochemical, and performance adaptations in soccer players. It is hypothesized that (i) significant changes will occur across the pre-season in both the extended- and limited-play groups when analysed independently; (ii) distinct group-specific adaptations will emerge by the end of the preparatory period; and (iii) match-play exposure, when analysed across all participants, will be significantly correlated with physiological and performance outcomes at pre-season completion. Players from a randomly selected team will be assessed at three time points: pre-season start, mid-pre-season (MPS), and pre-competition phase (PC). Assessments will include anthropometry, physical performance, and markers of muscle damage, inflammation, hormonal status, and haematology. Based on the total match-play time of 8 friendly games during the late pre-season, players will be retrospectively categorised into extended-play (EP) and limited-play (LP) cohorts.time of 8 friendly games during the late pre-season, players will be retrospectively categorised into extended-play (EP) and limited-play (LP) cohorts.

Interventions

  • Other Friendly Match-Play Exposure: extended vs. limited
    This research explores the multidimensional physiological and biochemical responses to differing volumes of friendly match-play (i.e., extended vs. limited) during the late pre-season phase in soccer players.

Primary outcome measures

  • Body Mass [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Body Fat [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Glucose [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Cholesterol [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Triglycerides [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • SGOT (AST) [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • SGPT (ALT) [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Creatine Phosphokinase (CPK) [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]
  • Myoglobin [Time frame: Each measure assessed at Baseline (pre-season start), 4 weeks (mid-pre-season), and 8 weeks (pre-competition phase).]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • Male participants
  • Aged 18 years or older
  • Non-smokers
  • Injury-free for the past 6 months
  • Medication-free for the past 6 months
  • Abstinent from alcohol
  • Living at an altitude below 1500 meters
  • Committed exclusively to soccer (no participation in other sports)

Exclusion criteria

  • History of serious injuries (e.g., fractures, ligament tears) within the past 6 months
  • Chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or respiratory disorders
  • Current use of performance-enhancing drugs or supplements
  • Participation in non-soccer-related sports or activities during the study period

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Observational model
Cohort

Study locations

Greece · 1 center
  • School of Physical Education and Sports Science, National and Kapodistrian University of A — Athens

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07170930 · ERC-002/2023

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗