ArticleSports (Basel, Switzerland)2026
Infrared Thermography Reveals Recurrent Thermal Asymmetry Patterns Rather than Stable Thermal Phenotypes in Elite Under-18 Soccer Players: A Prospective Longitudinal Observational Study.
Article in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundEvidence regarding the longitudinal use of infrared thermography in elite under-18 soccer players remains limited. Most previous studies have relied on cross-sectional designs or short observation periods.
methodsThis prospective longitudinal observational study monitored 18 elite under-18 male outfield soccer players across 16 official matches (96 valid assessments). Thermographic evaluations were performed 48 h post-match under standardized conditions across six bilateral lower-limb regions. A thermal asymmetry was defined as relevant if ΔTsk ≥ 0.5 °C. Linear mixed-effects models, paired
resultsRelevant asymmetries were detected in 79.2% of assessments (mean maximum ΔTsk 0.77 ± 0.43 °C). Posterior Thigh BF (40.6%) and Posterior Thigh ST (35.4%) showed the highest prevalence (χ
conclusionsPost-match thermal asymmetries are highly prevalent in elite youth soccer and appear to reflect dynamic, load-dependent recovery responses rather than stable thermal phenotypes. Longitudinal thermographic monitoring may help characterise individual recovery patterns when interpreted alongside other monitoring tools.
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