Top

Published in:

01-02-2019 | Current Opinion

Mental Fatigue in Football: Is it Time to Shift the Goalposts? An Evaluation of the Current Methodology

Authors: Chris J. Thompson, Job Fransen, Sabrina Skorski, Mitchell R. Smith, Tim Meyer, Steve Barrett, Aaron J. Coutts

Published in: Sports Medicine | Issue 2/2019

Abstract

Research in football for a long time has focused on the physical nature of fatigue as opposed to its mental aspects. However, since 2016, six original articles have investigated the effects of induced mental fatigue in football on isolated physical, skill and decision-making performance tests, along with physical, technical and tactical performance outcomes in small-sided games. Whilst these studies have overall shown a negative impact of mental fatigue on task performance, this current opinion aims to critically examine the methodological approach to this problem, most notably the lack of ecological validity when inducing mental fatigue and the present approach to measuring mental fatigue using visual analogue scales (VAS). It is suggested that future research on mental fatigue in football may benefit from the use of surveys/interviews to understand the true cognitive demands of elite football players. Additionally, future research should aim to reduce the reliance on using VAS to measure mental fatigue as results from this tool may be confounded by several response biases. In conclusion, this article highlights the need for mentally fatiguing tasks that adequately represent football-associated mental fatigue and assessments of mental fatigue that minimise the confounding effect of response bias.

Smith M, Thompson C, Marcora S, Skorski S, Meyer T, Coutts A. Mental fatigue and soccer: current knowledge and future directions. Sports Med. 2018;5:1–8.

Walsh V. Is sport the brain’s biggest challenge? Curr Biol. 2014;24:859–60.CrossRef

Williams AM. Perceptual skill in soccer: implications for talent identification and development. J Sports Sci. 2000;18(9):737–50.CrossRefPubMed

Smith M, Coutts A, Merlini M, Deprez D, Lenoir M, Marcora SM. Mental fatigue impairs soccer-specific physical and technical performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48:267–76. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000762.CrossRefPubMed

Smith M, Fransen J, Deprez D, Lenoir M, Coutts AJ. Impact of mental fatigue on speed and accuracy components of soccer-specific skills. Sci Med Footb. 2017;1:48–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1252850.CrossRef

Smith M, Zeuwts L, Lenoir M, Hens N, De Jong LMS, Coutts AJ. Mental fatigue impairs soccer-specific decision-making skill. J Sports Sci. 2016;34:1297–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1156241.CrossRefPubMed

Coutinho D, Gonçalves B, Travassos B, Wong DP, Coutts AJ, Sampaio JE. Mental fatigue and spatial references impair soccer players’ physical and tactical performances. Front Psychol. 2017;21(8):1645. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01645.CrossRef

Badin O, Smith M, Conte D, Coutts AJ. Mental fatigue: impairment of technical performance in small-sided soccer games. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2016;11:1100–5. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2015-0710.CrossRefPubMed

Coutinho D, Gonçalves B, Wong D, Travassos B, Coutts AJ, Sampaio J. Exploring the effects of mental and muscular fatigue in soccer players’ performance. Hum Mov Sci. 2018;58:287–96.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Smith M, Marcora S, Coutts A. Mental fatigue impairs intermittent running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47:1682–90.CrossRefPubMed

11.

Watson D. Correcting for acquiescent response bias in the absence of a balanced scale: an application to class consciousness. Sociol Methods Res. 1992;21:52–88.CrossRef

12.

Lorist M, Boksem M, Ridderinkhof K. Impaired cognitive control and reduced cingulate activity during mental fatigue. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005;24:199–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.01.018.CrossRefPubMed

13.

MacDonald A, Cohen J, Stenger V, Carter CS. Dissociating the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex in cognitive control. Science. 2000;288:1835–8.CrossRefPubMed

14.

Araújo D, Davids K, Bennett S, Button C, Chapman G. Emergence of sport skills under constraints. In: Williams AM, Hodges NJ, editors. Skill acquisition in sport: research, theory and practice. London: Taylor & Francis; 2004. p. 409–33.

15.

Phillips E, Davids K, Renshaw I, Portus M. Expert performance in sport and the dynamics of talent development. Sports Med. 2010;40:271–83.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Travassos B, Araujo D, Davids K, Vilar L, Esteves P, Vanda C. Informational constraints shape emergent functional behaviours during performance of interceptive actions in team sports. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2012;13:216–23.CrossRef

17.

Pinder RA, Davids K, Renshaw I, Araújo D. Representative learning design and functionality of research and practice in sport. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2011;33:146–55.CrossRefPubMed

18.

Lelis-Torres N, Ugrinowitsch H, Apolinário-Souza T, Benda RN, Lage GM. Task engagement and mental workload involved in variation and repetition of a motor skill. Sci Rep. 2017;7:14764.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

19.

Aliyari H, Kazemi M, Tekieh E, Salehi M, Sahraei H, Daliri MR, et al. The effects of FIFA 2015 computer games on changes in cognitive, hormonal and brain waves functions of young men volunteers. Basic Clin Neurosci. 2015;6:193.PubMedPubMedCentral

20.

Barrett S, McLaren S, Spears I, Ward P, Weston M. The influence of playing position and contextual factors on soccer players’ match differential ratings of perceived exertion: a preliminary investigation. Sports. 2018;6:13.CrossRefPubMedCentral

21.

Zhao C, Zhao M, Liu J, Zheng C. Electroencephalogram and electrocardiograph assessment of mental fatigue in a driving simulator. Accid Anal Prev. 2012;45:83–90.CrossRefPubMed

22.

Ting P, Hwang J, Doong J, Jeng MC. Driver fatigue and highway driving: a simulator study. Physiol Behav. 2008;94:448–53.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Lal SK, Craig A. Driver fatigue: electroencephalography and psychological assessment. Psychophysiology. 2002;39:313–21.CrossRefPubMed

24.

Reeves CW, Nicholls AR, McKenna J. Longitudinal analyses of stressors, perceived control, coping, and coping effectiveness among early and middle adolescent soccer players. Int J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2011;42:186–203.

25.

Lee K, Hicks G, Nino-Murcia G. Validity and reliability of a scale to assess fatigue. Psychiatry Res. 1991;36:291–8.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Orne M. Demand characteristics and the concept of quasi-controls. Artifacts in behavioral research. New York: Academic Press; 1969.

27.

Kruger J, Dunning D. Unskilled and unaware of it: how difficulties in recognizing one’s own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1999;77:1121.CrossRefPubMed

28.

Widyanti A, Muslim K, Sutalaksana I. The sensitivity of galvanic skin response for assessing mental workload in Indonesia. Work. 2017;56:111–7.CrossRefPubMed

29.

Li K, Pan B, Gao Y, Ruan Z, Li T. A novel method to estimate oxygen saturation of the internal jugular vein blood. Int Soc Opt Photonics. 2016;9698:96981F.

30.

Kahneman D, Tursky B, Shapiro D, Crider A. Pupillary, heart rate, and skin resistance changes during a mental task. J Exp Psychol. 1969;79:164.CrossRefPubMed

31.

Brownsberger J, Edwards A, Crowther R, Cottrell D. Impact of mental fatigue on self-paced exercise. Int J Sports Med. 2013;34:1029–36.CrossRefPubMed

32.

Baumeister J, Reinecke K, Schubert M, Schade J, Weiss M. Effects of induced fatigue on brain activity during sensorimotor control. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012;112:2475–82.CrossRefPubMed

33.

Baumeister J, Reinecke K, Liesen H, Weiss M. Cortical activity of skilled performance in a complex sports related motor task. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008;104:625.CrossRefPubMed

34.

Reinecke K, Cordes M, Lerch C, Koutsandréou F, Schubert M, Weiss M, et al. From lab to field conditions: a pilot study on EEG methodology in applied sports sciences. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2011;36:265–71.CrossRefPubMed

35.

Baumeister J, Reinecke K, Cordes M, Lerch C, Weiß M. Brain activity in goal-directed movements in a real compared to a virtual environment using the Nintendo Wii. Neurosci Lett. 2010;481:47–50.CrossRefPubMed

36.

Britton J, Adult EEG. Clin Neurophysiol. 2016;31:76.CrossRef

37.

Vaeyens R, Lenoir M, Williams AM, Mazyn L, Philippaerts RM. The effects of task constraints on visual search behavior and decision-making skill in youth soccer players. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2007;29:147–69.CrossRefPubMed

38.

Boksem M, Meijman T, Lorist M. Effects of mental fatigue on attention: an ERP study. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005;25:107–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.04.011.CrossRefPubMed

39.

Duncan MJ, Fowler N, George O, Joyce S, Hankey J. Mental fatigue negatively influences manual dexterity and anticipation timing but not repeated high-intensity exercise performance in trained adults. Res Sports Med. 2015;23:1–3.CrossRefPubMed

Title: Mental Fatigue in Football: Is it Time to Shift the Goalposts? An Evaluation of the Current Methodology
Authors: Chris J. Thompson
Job Fransen
Sabrina Skorski
Mitchell R. Smith
Tim Meyer
Steve Barrett
Aaron J. Coutts
Publication date: 01-02-2019
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Sports Medicine / Issue 2/2019
Print ISSN: 0112-1642
Electronic ISSN: 1179-2035
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-1016-z

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Mental Fatigue in Football: Is it Time to Shift the Goalposts? An Evaluation of the Current Methodology

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2019

A Randomized Crossover Study Investigating the Running Economy of Highly-Trained Male and Female Distance Runners in Marathon Racing Shoes versus Track Spikes

Comment on: “The Use of Microtechnology to Quantify the Peak Match Demands of the Football Codes: A Systematic Review”

Reflecting on Eliud Kipchoge’s Marathon World Record: An Update to Our Model of Cooperative Drafting and Its Potential for a Sub-2-Hour Performance

Challenging Conventional Paradigms in Applied Sports Biomechanics Research

Comment on: “The Effectiveness of Resisted Sled Training (RST) for Sprint Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”

Impact of Ad Libitum Versus Programmed Drinking on Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis