Fitness Tests Conducted at Intervals of 30-15 Minutes Provide Superior Sport-specific Accuracy Compared to Treadmill Tests in Elite Female Soccer Players. (30-15IFT vs TR)

Gümüşhane Universıty

Status: Completed

Conditions: Exercise Physiology; Sports Performance

Treatments: Other: Treadmill Incremental Test; Other: 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07390149

2023/09

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study compares the acute aerobic, metabolic, and threshold-related physiological responses elicited by the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT) and a treadmill-based incremental running test in elite female football players. Using a randomized crossover design, all participants completed both testing protocols with a 48-hour recovery period. Outcomes included maximal oxygen uptake, maximal running speed, heart rate responses, lactate-derived thresholds, metabolic tolerance indices, and recovery markers.

Full description

Laboratory-based treadmill tests are commonly used to assess aerobic capacity in football players; however, they lack sport-specific characteristics such as intermittent running, accelerations, and changes of direction. The 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT) has been proposed as a more ecologically valid field-based alternative.

Twenty-seven elite female football players competing in the Turkish Women's Super League completed both the 30-15IFT and a standardized treadmill incremental protocol in a randomized crossover design. Tests were separated by 48 hours and performed under controlled environmental conditions. Physiological variables including VO₂max, maximal running speed, maximal heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio, lactate-derived thresholds (OBLA), metabolic load-dependent tolerance, and post-exercise recovery markers were assessed using breath-by-breath gas analysis, heart rate monitoring, and capillary blood lactate sampling.

The study aims to determine whether the 30-15IFT elicits more sensitive and sport-specific physiological responses compared with treadmill testing, thereby supporting its use in performance monitoring and individualized training prescription in elite women's football.

Enrollment: 27 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Female football players aged 18-35 years
• Competing in the Turkish Women's Super League
• Minimum of 3 years of professional football experience,
• Full participation in training and matches during the previous 6 months,
• Ability to perform maximal exercise testing

Exclusion criteria

• Musculoskeletal injury affecting performance within the last 3 months,
• Diagnosed cardiovascular, metabolic, or respiratory disease,
• Any condition limiting maximal physical effort

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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27 participants in 2 patient groups

30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT)

Other group

Description:

Participants performed the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test consisting of 30-second running bouts interspersed with 15-second passive recovery periods, with progressive increases in running speed until volitional exhaustion.

Treatment:

Other: 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test

Other: Treadmill Incremental Test

Treadmill Incremental Running Test (TR)

Other group

Description:

Participants performed a laboratory-based incremental treadmill running test with speed increases every 4 minutes until volitional exhaustion.

Treatment:

Other: 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test

Other: Treadmill Incremental Test