Hydration status profile in young footballers by playing position before training: an observational study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12873/Keywords:
Hydration status, Young footballers, Playing position, Urine specific gravity (USG), Rehydration strategiesAbstract
Background
Hydration is important for athletic performance, especially in sports like football, which require high intensity. Adequate hydration improves both physical and cognitive performance and reduces the risk of injuries and fatigue. However, the hydration status of young footballers according to their playing position has not been widely studied. This study aims to evaluate the hydration status of young Ecuadorian footballers before training and analyze whether differences exist according to their playing positions.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 63 young Ecuadorian footballers, aged between 13 and 19 years, classified by position: winger, center forward, central midfielder, side midfielder, center back, full back, and goalkeeper. Hydration status was assessed using urine specific gravity (USG). USG values below 1.017 were classified as overhydration, between 1.017 and 1.026 as euhydration, and above 1.026 as dehydration. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean USG values between positions and age categories, and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was employed to explore associations between position, hydration status, and age.
Results
49.2% of the footballers were overhydrated, 41.27% were euhydrated, and 9.53% were dehydrated. No significant differences were found between playing positions or age categories in USG values. However, the MCA showed that center backs and players under 13 tended to be overhydrated, while wingers and midfielders in the under-15 and under-17 categories showed higher dehydration.
Conclusions
Hydration patterns vary according to playing position and age. Personalized hydration strategies and educational programs are recommended to mitigate dehydration risks and improve performance in young footballers.
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