Biomarker response in professional football athletes after matches: a systematic review
Creatine kinase (CK) is the most widely used biomarker in the assessment of muscle damage in professional football players, as it reflects the impact of the workload on muscle tissue. During a football match, players perform high-intensity movements such as sprints, changes of direction, and physical contact, which causes microruptures in muscle fibers and an increase in CK in the blood.
The reviewed studies have shown that CK elevates immediately after the match, reaching its peak between 24 and 48 hours post-effort, and may remain elevated for up to 72 hours depending on the level of recovery. This increase is associated with muscle damage induced by high-intensity activity and is a key indicator in the management of training load and injury prevention.
Regular CK monitoring allows football teams to adjust the workload, preventing overtraining and reducing the risk of muscle injuries. In players who play matches with high frequency, it has been observed that CK levels remain consistently high, indicating incomplete recovery and a higher risk of cumulative fatigue.
In addition to CK, other biomarkers such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are also used to assess the body’s response to physical exertion, but CK remains the most reliable indicator of muscle stress and post-exercise inflammation in high-performance football.
In conclusion, creatine kinase is the primary biochemical parameter for diagnosing muscle damage in football players, being crucial in training planning and injury prevention for players exposed to high levels of physical demand.
de Lima e Silva, L., dos Santos, D. R., Lopes Silva, Y. R., Alonso, L., Spineti, J., Mallen da Silva, G. C. P. S., Gomes de Souza Vale, R., & Moreira Nunes, R. de A. (2023). Biomarker response in professional football athletes after matches: A systematic review.
The reviewed studies have shown that CK elevates immediately after the match, reaching its peak between 24 and 48 hours post-effort, and may remain elevated for up to 72 hours depending on the level of recovery. This increase is associated with muscle damage induced by high-intensity activity and is a key indicator in the management of training load and injury prevention.
Regular CK monitoring allows football teams to adjust the workload, preventing overtraining and reducing the risk of muscle injuries. In players who play matches with high frequency, it has been observed that CK levels remain consistently high, indicating incomplete recovery and a higher risk of cumulative fatigue.
In addition to CK, other biomarkers such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are also used to assess the body’s response to physical exertion, but CK remains the most reliable indicator of muscle stress and post-exercise inflammation in high-performance football.
In conclusion, creatine kinase is the primary biochemical parameter for diagnosing muscle damage in football players, being crucial in training planning and injury prevention for players exposed to high levels of physical demand.
de Lima e Silva, L., dos Santos, D. R., Lopes Silva, Y. R., Alonso, L., Spineti, J., Mallen da Silva, G. C. P. S., Gomes de Souza Vale, R., & Moreira Nunes, R. de A. (2023). Biomarker response in professional football athletes after matches: A systematic review.
