Salivary response to football matches - A comparative study of elite youth football players

Abstract

An important part of the football coaching staffs’ responsibilities is to keep the players healthy. In order to succeed with this, training sessions should be planned in a manner where enough recovery is achieved. Periods where matches are played more frequently have been known to elicit higher risk for injuries and illness because of the limited recovery time. Fatigue monitoring can help coaches assess the player’s physical state and there are a few different methods available. A comparative study was done to compare the response of eight male elite youth players salivary Immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) and alpha-amylase after having played one match, and two matches with 72 hours in between. The results showed no statistically significant changes in s-IgA but tendencies towards lower levels after both one and two matches. A statistically significant increase was seen in alpha-amylase 24 hours post two matches (p = 0,012) and tendency towards higher levels after one game. Some changes and tendencies could be found but future research should use bigger sample sizes in order to make broader conclusions. The research should also include match data such as high intensity running and total distance covered to help interpret results better.