Normative reference and cut-offs values of maximal aerobic speed-20 m shuttle run test and maximal oxygen uptake for Tunisian adolescent (elite) soccer players
Hatem Ghouili,
Amel Dridi,
Nejmeddine Ouerghi,
Mohamed Ben Aissa,
Anissa Bouassida,
Noomen Guelmami,
Andrew Sortwell,
Luís Branquinho,
Pedro Forte,
Ismail Dergaa
Affiliations
Hatem Ghouili
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Amel Dridi
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Nejmeddine Ouerghi
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Mohamed Ben Aissa
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Anissa Bouassida
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Noomen Guelmami
Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Tunisia
Andrew Sortwell
School of Nursing, Midwifery, Health Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia
Luís Branquinho
Department of Sports, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of the Douro, 4560-708 Penafiel, Portugal; Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Pedro Forte
Department of Sports, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of the Douro, 4560-708 Penafiel, Portugal; Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Department of Sports Sciences, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Ismail Dergaa
Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Doha, Qatar; Research Unit Physical Activity, Sport, And Health, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis 1003, Tunisia; High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia; Corresponding author. Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Doha, P.O. Box 26555, Qatar.
This study aimed to develop reference curves of aerobic parameters of 20 m shuttle run test for Tunisian soccer players. The study was conducted in the 2022/2023 pre-season. The reference curves of the maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were developed according to the Lambda, Mu and Sigma (LMS) method, using data from 742 Tunisian premier league soccer players aged 11–18 years. Measured variables included: weight, height, body mass index and maximal heart rate (HRmax). HRmax was measured when the participants completed the maximal aerobic speed. VO2max was estimated using the 20 m shuttle run test protocol (speed increment every minute). Our results presented the smoothed percentiles (3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th) of MAS (km/h) and VO2max (ml/kg•min⁻1) according to age. In addition, raw data showed that VO2 max was positively correlated with age (r = 0.333; P < 0.001), height (cm) (r = 0.279; P < 0.001), weight (kg) (r = 0.266; P < 0.001), practice period (years) (r = 0.324; P < 0.001) and BMI (kg/m2) (r = 0.10; P < 0.05). However, it was negatively correlated to HRmax (bpm) (r = −0.247; P < 0.001). Only the measurements within the age group [12–12.99] are significantly higher (p < 0.001; ES = 0.63) compared with the previous age group [11–11.99]. Finally, regarding prevalence, our findings showed that 15.5 % of the players in our sample had VO2max values above the 87.7th percentile cut-off, while only 0.3 % exceeded the 99.18th percentile. The development of normative curves could help coaches and physical trainers to more accurately detect weaknesses in the aerobic performance of their players in order to sustain high-intensity repetitive actions during a soccer match.
