Kinetics of skin temperature in lower limbs of professional soccer athletes

Alex Fernandes; Miller de Assis; João Marins; André Andrade; Maicon Albuquerque; Ciro Brito; Cristiano da Silva; Myrian do Valle; Eduardo Pimenta; Emerson Garcia

doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.145909

eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X

Biology of Sport

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abstract:

Original paper

Kinetics of skin temperature in lower limbs of professional soccer athletes

Alex de Andrade Fernandes

¹

,

Miller Gomes de Assis

²

,

João Carlos Bouzas Marins

³

,

André Gustavo Pereira de Andrade

²

,

Maicon Rodrigues Albuquerque

²

,

Ciro José Brito

⁴

,

Cristiano Diniz da Silva

⁴

,

Myrian Augusta Araujo Neves do Valle

¹

,

Eduardo Mendonça Pimenta

²

,

Emerson Silami Garcia

²

Federal Institute for Education, Sciences and Technology of Minas Gerais (IFMG), Campus Ipatinga, Brazil
School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Department of Physical Education, Human Performance Laboratory, Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil
Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Campus Governador Valadares, Brazil

Biol Sport. 2025;42(2):345–352

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.145909

Online publish date: 2025/01/13

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This study investigated the kinetics of skin temperature (Tsk) in the lower limbs of elite soccer players following official matches, with measurements taken at three time points: pre-game (M1), 24 hours after a match (M2), and 48 hours after a match (M3). Additionally, we explored the correlation between Tsk and individualized creatine kinase (CK) levels. Thirty male athletes from a top-tier professional soccer club were assessed during the Brazilian Serie A Championship. CK levels and Tsk in the lower limbs were recorded at M1, M2, and M3. Tsk was significantly elevated at M2 compared to M1 (P < 0.001) and decreased at M3, although it did not return to baseline levels (P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between Tsk in all regions of interest (ROIs) and the percentage of CK, with the lowest correlation observed at r = 0.52 (P < 0.001). Tsk in the lower limbs showed a pattern similar to CK, being elevated at 24 h after the match and decreasing by 48 h but not fully returning to pre-game levels. These findings suggest that Tsk can complement CK measurements and be useful in training control and recovery strategies for elite soccer athletes.

keywords:

Kinetics of skin temperature in lower limbs of professional soccer athletes

Soccer, Infrared thermography, Skin temperature, Creatine kinase, Inflammatio