COVID-19-Related Restrictions and Quarantine COVID-19: Effects on Cardiovascular and Yo-Yo Test Performance in Professional Soccer Players

摘要

The present study aimed to verify the quarantine’s effects during a serious viral outbreak on the cardiovascular and performance associated with the Yo-Yo test in a sample of professional soccer players. 20 high-level soccer players ( n = 20; age: 26 ± 4 years-old; weight: 76.85 ± 6.7 kg; height: 179 ± 6 cm) participated in this study. The intermittent Yo-Yo test was performed pre- and post- COVID-19 quarantine in a random order. During each test, the soccer players’ running performance outcomes were monitored using a portable 5-Hz GPS with a 100 Hz accelerometer and a paired t -test was conducted at a p -value of ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant differences between pre- versus post-COVID-19 quarantine in the following variables: relative distance (161.7 ± 5.9 141.1 ± 33.8 m/min), maximal speed (18.7 ± 0.9 18.2 ± 0.6 km/h), acceleration (60 ± 20 frequency 52 ± 16 frequency), deceleration (34 ± 13 frequency 27 ± 6 frequency), sprints 19 km/h [0.8 (0.2;3)% 0.5 (0;0.5)%], and in high intensity running distance [16.48 (2.68;41.64)m 0.827 (0.164;3.0)m]. We concluded that COVID-19-related restrictions and quarantine COVID-19 demonstrated adverse effects on professional soccer players’ Yo-Yo tests performance.