Earlier this month we took a look at the Premier League’s Project Restart as growing evidence suggested players could face increased injury risk upon their return. The risk of injury has been associated with deconditioning during the lockdown period and the relatively short reconditioning time before competitive games restart. Initial data from the Bundesliga, plus, now famous, research from the NFL during its lockout season of 2011 suggest injuries will be a greater risk for Premier League players upon return to play.
Paul Pogba has suffered with injury thought his time at Manchester United
While the negative impact of the lockdown and suspension in play has been highlighted, for a number of clubs it could be beneficial. Harry Kane, Paul Pogba and John McGinn have all recovered from injuries, are back in training and should provide a welcome addition to their sides’ matchday options.
Injury is likely to be a considerable threat to a successful campaign finish. For some clubs that will mean qualification for major European competition or not. For others, it could be the difference between avoiding relegation or facing next season in the Championship.
Research by Carling et al (2015), highlighted the importance of remaining injury-free, as a defining factor in title-winning success when his group tracked five seasons of professional league performance. This was further supported during Leicester City’s historic Premier League winning season when, during that season, they recorded the second fewest days missed due to injury.
The addition of two extra substitutes is certainly a welcome intervention. The Premier League continues to elicit huge physical demands in terms of total distance covered and high intensity running. Unsurprisingly, in terms of the current styles of play in the Premier League, midfielders and fullbacks generally cover the most ground. Five substitutes will allow for greater rotation of these key positions, potentially decreasing individual player load during this condensed period. Of course, substitution decisions aren’t just made in the context of physical demands. Any switches will still have to consider the context of the match situation, squad depth and tactical factors.
With injury avoidance so important we might also see teams temper their physical output during the opening games. Liverpool, for example, is known for its high press when out of possession. With the league title almost certainly heading to Anfield, might the early games involve a slight tactical adjustment by dropping the regularity and height of the press in favour of increased possession and more sustained build-up phases?
Increased substitutions and tactical adjustments offer the opportunity to decrease the physical demands on players. However, when that isn’t possible, quality recovery becomes essential. A quick look at the fixture list shows that Wolves and Burnley face three games in eight days while Aston Villa must negotiate four games in 11 days. A previous blog has highlighted the potential negative immune responses to such high demands. A serious consideration during times of heightened health concern.
The condensed fixture schedule means all clubs will now be forced to maximise recovery. Nutrition is often at the heart of these recovery strategies. In many cases, direct interaction between players and club nutritionists has been limited due to coronavirus restrictions. To ensure the players are receiving the correct nutrition, clubs are likely monitoring and possibly even providing pre-match meals, which are now being eaten at home before coming to the ground. They are also putting more emphasis on the consumption of both pre- and post-game supplements. To replace the nutritional support usually provided at the club, many players are also receiving individually designed food bags containing the correct proportion of calories and macronutrients to use as part of their at-home routine.
Sleep is another important factor in aiding recovery. Players often report difficulty sleeping and therefore impaired recovery following evening or night games (Fullagar et al 2016). The sport science teams will be working hard to plan post-game day activities to compensate for this. Clubs use questionnaires and apps to track duration and quality of sleep. If players are indeed struggling, then training times can be adjusted to allow for a lie in or an afternoon nap. Reducing the desired training volume to compensate for stunted recovery is also an option, which is commonplace during periods of heavy fixture congestion.
A growing trend in recovery science is the use of cryotherapy, having progressed from traditional ice baths. Cryotherapy involves subjecting the body to extremely low temperatures which stimulate an immune response. Reportedly, this response decreases muscle soreness aiding recovery. There is also evidence that cryotherapy can blunt fitness adaptations. However, if players are deemed to have the requisite fitness levels needed, the recovery benefits of cryotherapy will outweigh the need to improve fitness.
During lockdown, with no live games, player training and the sport science behind it became the heart of the message coming out of clubs. Key questions we were all asking were ‘what will be the impact on fitness?’. ‘How is player fitness being tracked’? ‘How are the players training at home?’ Now the Premier League is almost back, the story has moved on to injury and recovery. With no fans allowed in the stadium and pub viewing also gone, fans will be sitting at home providing sponsors and partners with their full attention. The brands with credible messages, the nutrition partners, the hotel providers, tracking and monitoring as well as recovery tools like cryotherapy need to take this opportunity to position themselves at the heart of the performance story.
Sport Science Agency uses its insight and expertise to tell performance stories and unlocks their value for brands, broadcasters and rights holders. If you want to know more about what we can do for you, drop us a note via info@sportscienceagency.com and we can arrange to go for a healthy vitamin packed drink.