The Time Course of Perceptual Recovery Markers Following Match Play in Division I-A

To investigate the recovery time course of customized wellness markers (sleep, soreness, energy and overall wellness) in response to match play in Division 1-A American Collegiate Football players.

METHODS: 

A retrospective research design was used in this study. Wellness data was collected and analysed for two collegiate American football seasons. Perceptions of soreness, sleep, energy and overall wellness were obtained daily for the day preceding each game (GD-1) and the days following each game (GD+2, GD+3 and GD+4). Standardised effect size (ES) analyses±90% confidence intervals were used to interpret the magnitude of the mean differences between all time-points for the START, MIDDLE and FINISH of the season, using the following qualitative descriptors: 0-0.19 trivial; 0.2-0.59 small; 0.6-1.19 moderate; 1.2-1.99 large; <2.0 very large.

RESULTS: 

Overall wellness showed small ES reductions on GD+2 (d=0.22±0.09, likely [94.8%]), GD+3 (d=0.37±0.15, very likely) and GD+4 (d=0.29±0.12, very likely) compared to GD-1. There were small ES reductions for soreness between GD-1, and GD+2, GD+3 and GD +4 (d=0.21±0.09, likely, d=0.29±0.12, very likely, and 0.30±0.12, very likely, respectively). Small ES reductions were also evident between GD-1 and GD+3 (d=0.21±0.09, likely) for sleep. Feelings of energy showed small ES on GD+3 (d=0.27±0.11, very likely) and GD+4 (d=0.22±0.09, likely) when compared to GD-1.

CONCLUSIONS: 

All wellness markers were likely-very likely worse on GD+3 and GD+4 compared to GD-1. These findings show that perceptual wellness takes longer than 4 d to return to pre-game levels and thus should be considered when prescribing training and/or recovery.