SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.69 issue1Spatial and spatiotemporal clustering of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Journal

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • Have no similar articlesSimilars in SciELO
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


Revista de la Facultad de Medicina

Print version ISSN 0120-0011

Abstract

VILLASECA-VICUNA, Rodrigo et al. Effects of COVID-19 confinement measures on training loads and the level of well-being in players from Chile women's national soccer team. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2021, vol.69, n.1, e200.  Epub May 16, 2021. ISSN 0120-0011.  https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v69n1.88480.

Introduction:

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have implemented control and prevention measures, such as compulsory lockdowns, affecting all spheres of life. Since the field of professional soccer is no exception, such measures may have a negative impact on the player's well-being and their perceived training loads.

Objective:

To determine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the training load and the well-being of female professional soccer players in Chile.

Materials and methods:

Exploratory, cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted on 32 players of the Chile women's national soccer team. The perception of training load and the level of well-being were assessed by means of the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale and a questionnaire developed in 2010, respectively. Both the administration of the questionnaire and the permanent monitoring of the RPE records were carried out in two periods of 12 weeks: regular preparatory phase (12/12/2019-10/03/2020) and lockdown (16/03/2020-07/06/2020). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon test was used to determine if there were significant differences between periods.

Results:

Significant differences (p<0.05) and threshold effect sizes (ES)=1.2, 2.0 and 4.0 (large, very large, and extremely large, respectively) were found between both periods in all variables evaluated by the well-being questionnaire (except for sleep quality): muscle soreness and stress level (ES=1.9), perceived fatigue (ES=2.5), general well-being (ES=2.4), and mood (ES=4.2). No differences were found regarding the perception of the training load (ES=0.1) between both periods.

Conclusions:

The level of well-being among the participants was negatively affected by the compulsory lock-down. Therefore, coaching staffs should continue to monitor the level of the well-being of professional soccer players during the lockdown, both individually and collectively. Even though the perception of training load was not affected, it is not possible to state that a more extended period of confinement will not reduce it, resulting in a drop in performance.

Keywords : Soccer; Female; Health Promotion; Exercise; Involuntary Commitment; COVID-19 (MeSH).

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )