Does Passive Recovery Preserve Shot Speed and Enhance Metabolic Recovery? An Acute Comparison in Female Football Players

This study aimed to compare the effects of active and passive recovery protocols applied after fatigue on performance and physiological responses in female soccer players. Ten female soccer players (n = 10) playing for the Bayburt University women’s soccer team and having at least six years of soccer experience participated in the study. To induce fatigue, a 10 × 20 m repeated sprint test protocol (RSTP) was applied. Using a crossover design, participants completed this protocol in two separate sessions with a 48-hour interval, applying either an active or a passive recovery strategy between sprints. Blood lactate levels were measured before the RSTP, immediately after, and 5 minutes post-exercise, while shooting velocity was assessed before and after the RSTP. The results indicated no significant differences between active and passive recovery conditions in terms of pre-test shooting velocity, resting lactate levels, total sprint time, and ratings of perceived exertion for the first seven repetitions (p > 0.05). In contrast, significant differences in favour of passive recovery were observed for post-test and 5- minute lactate levels, sprint time in the 9th repetition, mean heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion for the 8th and 10th repetitions (p < 0.05). Additionally, the decrease in shooting velocity following passive recovery was lower than that observed after active recovery. These findings suggest that passive recovery following short-distance repeated sprints may be more advantageous than active recovery in female soccer players in terms of preserving technical performance and reducing cardiovascular and metabolic load.