Infrared thermography as a monitoring-tool in youth elite soccer players

Abstract-Text (inkl. Referenzen und Bildunterschriften)

Introduction

Infrared thermography is increasingly established as an effective measure to detect injuries in soccer. This imaging method is characterized by objectivity, radiation-free operation, and non-invasiveness, and detects early signs of muscular overexertion based on surface skin temperatures on adults [1]. Most of these studies were conducted on adults [2]. Therefore, adolescents represent an unexplored population.

Aims

The present study investigated how leg skin temperatures change following soccer-specific training or resting period in youth elite soccer players.

Methods

Participants (n=12; Mean±SD: 15.67 ± 0.49 yrs) acclimatized to the room conditions and completed a short questionnaire. During each session, thermal images were taken using an infrared thermal camera. In the resting session, images were taken after two days of rest. In the training session, measurements were taken after two days of training. Skin temperatures were statistically analyzed.

Results

For both measured sessions, thermal images showed no significant asymmetries between left and right leg. However, descriptively, training induced an increase of temperature asymmetries. The training session induced a significant temperature increase for both anterior and posterior regions (table 1).

Conclusion

In this study, thermal images were shown to constitute a suitable tool to detect training-induced temperature changes. It is important to consider the appropriate timing of thermal images being taken. Further studies are needed to investigate asymmetries over a longer period of time in adolescents.

[1] Gebert, A. et al. (2015) GJSM, 66(9).

[2] Kumar, P. et al. (2022) JCOT, Vol. 24.

Table 1: Mean±SD temperature in °C between legs on two days of training; A, B, C and D= statistic significant (p˂0.05)