title: Neuromuscular demand in a soccer match assessed by a continuous electromyographic recording.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The bulk of research investigating soccer player's performance has been concentrated on the metabolic demand, while only few studies focused on the neuromuscular activation. The present study aimed at investigating the activation profile of the leg muscles throughout a 90- minute soccer match.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen football players (18.3±0.7 years) performed: 1) an isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) before the game [MVCpre]; 2) a 90-minute soccer match (composed of two 45-minute periods separated by a 15-minute rest); 3) a second MVC after the match [MVCpost]. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the Vastus Lateralis (VL) muscle of the dominant leg was recorded during the match. The root mean square (RMS) of the EMG signals was normalized for the maximal RMS obtained during the MVCpre (100%RMSmax) and six intensity classes were created in order to represent the %RMS distribution during the match (1st: 0-20%RMSmax; 2nd: 20-40%RMSmax; 3rd: 40-60%RMSmax; 4th: 60-80%RMSmax; 5th: 80-100%RMSmax; 6th: 100-120%RMSmax).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the 90-minute soccer match, knee extensor MVC failed to show any statistical difference from pre-game values (-4.2%; P>0.05) whilst the neuromuscular activation demonstrated a significant reduction (-26.3%, P<0.01). During the game, the mean total distribution of RMS of the players was: 84.8±7.1% of total time in the 1st class, 8.5±3.9% in the 2nd, 3.6±1.6% in the 3rd, 1.7±1.0% in the 4th, 0.9±0.6% in the 5th and 0.4±0.5% in the 6th class of intensity. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the first versus the second half for the classes 1st, 3rd and 4th.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This represents the first attempt to characterize the neuromuscular activation profile during a 90-minute soccer match. Integrating this approach with more traditional ones may help further our understanding of the physiological demand of competitive soccer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Roma &quot;Foro Italico&quot;, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montini
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Roma &quot;Foro Italico&quot;, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Roma &quot;Foro Italico&quot;, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolò
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Roma &quot;Foro Italico&quot;, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Roma &quot;Foro Italico&quot;, Rome, Italy - ilenia.bazzucchi@uniroma4.it.
authors.forename: Ilenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bazzucchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult