Muscle temperature and sprint performance during soccer matches – beneficial effect of re‐warm‐up at half‐time

The relationship between quadriceps muscle temperature ( T m ) and sprint performance was evaluated during soccer matches in 25 competitive players. In one game, T m was determined frequently ( n =9). In another game, eight players performed low‐intensity activities at half‐time (re‐warm‐up, (RW), whereas another eight players recovered passively (CON). T m was 36.0±0.2 °C at rest and increased ( P <0.05) to 39.4±0.2 °C before the game and remained unaltered during the first half. At half‐time, T m decreased ( P <0.05) to 37.4±0.2 °C, but increased ( P <0.05) to 39.2±°C during the second half. In CON and RW, T m and core temperature ( T c ) were similar before and after the first half, but 2.1±0.1 and 0.9±0.1 °C higher ( P <0.05), respectively, in RW prior to the second half. At the onset of the second half, the sprint performance was reduced ( P <0.05) by 2.4% in CON, but unchanged in RW. The decrease in T m was correlated to the decrease in performance ( r =0.60, P <0.05, n =16). This study demonstrates that in soccer, the decline in T m and T c during half‐time is associated with a lowered sprint capacity at the onset of the second half, whereas sprint performance is maintained when low‐intensity activities preserve muscle temperature.