Time to change direction in training load monitoring in elite football? The application of MEMS accelerometers for the evaluation of movement requirements

Time to change direction in training load monitoring in elite football? The application of MEMS accelerometers for the evaluation of movement requirements

ABSTRACT In elite football, the emphasis is placed on monitoring the output from the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) component of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device; however, this does not comprehensively overview the total demands due to the intermittent multidirectional nature. The aim of the study was to investigate the application of accelerometer data provided by MEMS, to evaluate movement requirements in elite football. A two-staged research approach, involving an effectiveness and efficacy stage, was deployed. The effectiveness stage examined two MEMS-accelerometer variables (PlayerLoadTM (PL) and PlayerLoadTM per meter (PL.m−1)) for four years and four months. Ninety-nine English Premier League outfield football players’ participated. In the efficacy stage, 26 elite outfield football players completed three different training modalities (running, possession and dribbling) and a range of MEMS-accelerometer variables were analysed. In the effectiveness stage, the mean difference in PL for all training activities other than Set Pieces were similar to Matches (−283 to −246au). Model coefficients for PL.m−1 were smallest in Team Shape (−0.00114au), Attacking (0.00025au) and Games (0.00196au), and largest for Possession (0.03356AU), Defending (0.03182au) and Skills Games (0.03106au) compared to Matches. The findings suggest that PL.m−1 but not PL may be effective at describing differences in movement requirements. In the efficacy stage, PL.m−1 and inertial movement analysis (IMA) efforts were the only variables that had greater mean differences in the smaller conditions, confirming PL.m−1’s suitability in evaluating movement requirements of different training activities and pitch dimensions. The findings suggest such a variable offers value in a monitoring strategy in football.

摘要 在精英足球领域，重点在于监测微机电系统（MEMS）设备中全球定位系统（GPS）组件的输出；然而，由于其间歇性的多向性，这并不能全面涵盖总体需求。本研究的目的是探究MEMS提供的加速度计数据的应用，以评估精英足球中的运动需求。采用了一种两阶段的研究方法，包括有效性和功效阶段。有效性阶段对两个MEMS - 加速度计变量（PlayerLoadTM（PL）和每米PlayerLoadTM（PL.m⁻¹））进行了为期四年零四个月的研究。九十九名英超联赛的外场足球运动员参与其中。在功效阶段，26名精英外场足球运动员完成了三种不同的训练方式（跑步、控球和带球），并对一系列MEMS - 加速度计变量进行了分析。在有效性阶段，除定位球外的所有训练活动的PL平均差值与比赛相似（-283至-246au）。与比赛相比，PL.m⁻¹的模型系数在球队阵型（-0.00114au）、进攻（0.00025au）和比赛（0.00196au）中最小，在控球（0.03356AU）、防守（0.03182au）和技巧比赛（0.03106au）中最大。研究结果表明，PL.m⁻¹而非PL可能在描述运动需求差异方面有效。在功效阶段，PL.m⁻¹和惯性运动分析（IMA）指标是在较小条件下平均差值较大的唯一变量，证实了PL.m⁻¹在评估不同训练活动和场地维度的运动需求方面的适用性。研究结果表明，这样一个变量在足球监测策略中具有价值。