The effect of football competition on muscle viscoelastic properties in professional football players

In in this study, the viscoelastic effects of the performance exhibited by 25 professional football players from Konyaspor, a football team in the Turkish Football Federation Super League, on the hamstring and quadriceps femoris muscles were measured using the MyotonPRO device during a 90-minute football match. The average age of the athletes was 27.4, the average height was 182.2 cm, and the average weight was 78.3 kg. The players' body fat percentage was determined to be an average of 9.1, with a running distance of 9398.2 and a sprint distance of 138.8.The obtained data and statistical analyses were evaluated using SPSS version 25 software. The normal distribution of variables was examined using visual methods (histograms and probability plots) and analytical methods (Shapiro-Wilk tests). Descriptive analyses were presented using means and standard deviations. The Wilcoxon test was employed to compare changes over time for variables that did not meet the criteria for normal distribution. The level of statistical significance was accepted as p<0.05. As a result of the study, it was determined that there were no statistically significant differences in the frequency results of the rectus femoris muscle before and after the match (p>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the elasticity results of the rectus femoris muscle before and after the match (p>0.05). Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences in the stiffness results of the rectus femoris muscle before and after the match (p>0.05). Regarding the frequency results of the biceps femoris muscle before and after the match, no statistically significant differences were found (p>0.05). When comparing the stiffness results of the biceps femoris muscle before and after the match, it was found that the stiffness of the right leg was statistically significant (p<0.05). In contrast, the stiffness of the left leg was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The elasticity results of the biceps femoris muscle before and after the match indicated that the elasticity of the right leg was not statistically significant (p>0.05), and the elasticity of the left leg was also not statistically significant (p>0.05). In conclusion, it was determined that professional football matches significantly affected the biceps femoris muscle, while no significant effect was observed on the rectus femoris muscle.