Wellness Responses During Different Length Match Microcycles in Collegiate Women’s Lacrosse

Authors : Amy CABRERA, Michael JIROUTEK, Andrew THORNTON, Jennifer BUNN

Pages : 74-81

Doi:10.5152/JPESS.2023.23080

View : 24 | Download : 16

Publication Date : 2023-09-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :A key factor in athlete recovery is the time between games, known as the match-to-match microcycle. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in wellness responses between a short insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(≤3 days); and long insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(>3 days); match-to-match microcycle in Division I women’s lacrosse. Analysis included data from 24 athletes who provided daily wellness scores on muscle soreness, sleep quality, energy level, and stress level. Means and associated 95% confidence intervals for the subcomponent and overall wellness scores were computed by short/long recovery group for game days and each post-game day. Two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were conducted to compare the subcomponent scores and overall wellness scores between short/long recovery groups for each day and Cohen’s d values were computed to assess the between-group effect size. Subcomponent and overall wellness scores decreased directly post game and rebounded over time, but none appeared to rebound to game day levels by day 3 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(for short recovery); or even day 6 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(for long recovery);. No evidence of important differences in the five wellness scores between the short and long microcycles was found, except for day 2 post-game muscle soreness insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=.0295);. Long microcycles fostered recovery from muscle soreness directly after the game, improving these scores faster than short recovery. This study gives athletes, coaches, and practitioners an insight into how training periodization in between matches can impact athletes’ wellness and suggests that wellness should be monitored in recovery to return to game-day levels.
Keywords : Recovery, team sports, well being