Heart rate variability (HRV) has become a popular method for monitoring readiness, recovery, and other training-derived parameters to optimize physical performance. This systematic review aimed to examine the impact of training interventions on HRV fluctuations in competitive soccer players. The EBSCO, Web of Sciences (WOS), and Cochrane databases were used for the search. After identifying 293 studies, 13 were included in a qualitative analysis and 6 in a quantitative analysis. Training had a small and nonsignificant effect on HRV in competitive soccer players (Effect Size (ES) = 0.143, Standard Error (SE) = .108, p = .186, 95% confidence interval (CI) [−0.69, 0.355]). Soccer-focused training resulted in higher HRV scores than combined training (Q(2) = 38.13, p = .05). Higher ES were found for frequency domain parameters (p = .047; d = 0.059), night assessment (p = .016; d = 0.453), and soccer-focused training (p = .006; d = 0.366). HRV was also found to have a greater impact on females (p = .027; d = 0.275) and/or professional soccer players (p = .007; d = 0.302). Soccer training had a minimal and nonsignificant effect on HRV.
CarlingCMcCallALe GallF, et al. What is the extent of exposure to periods of match congestion in professional soccer players?J Sports Sci2015; 33: 2116–2124.
2.
GambleP. Periodization of training for team sports athletes. Strength Cond J2006; 28: 56–66.
3.
KellyVGCouttsAJ. Planning and monitoring training loads during the competition phase in team sports. Strength Cond J2007; 29: 32–37.
4.
BorresenJLambertMI. The quantification of training load, the training response and the effect on performance. Sports Med2009; 39: 779–795.
5.
DjaouiLHaddadMChamariK, et al. Monitoring training load and fatigue in soccer players with physiological markers. Physiol Behav2017; 181: 86–94.
6.
BuchheitM. Monitoring training status with HR measures: do all roads lead to Rome?Front Physiol2014; 5: 1–19.
7.
JavaloyesASarabiaJMLambertsRP, et al. Training prescription guided by heart-rate variability in cycling. Int J Sports Physiol Perform2019; 14: 23–32.
8.
NuuttilaOPNikanderAPolomoshnovD, et al. Effects of HRV-guided vs predetermined block training on performance, HRV and serum hormones. Int J Sports Med2017; 38: 909–920.
9.
Task force of the European society of cardiology the north American society of pacing electrophysiology. Heart rate variability. Circulation1996; 93: 1043–1065.
10.
BellengerCRFullerJTThomsonRL, et al. Monitoring athletic training status through autonomic heart rate regulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med2016; 46: 1461–1486.
11.
ZhangJ. Effect of age and sex on heart rate variability in healthy subjects. J Manipulative Physiol Ther2007; 30: 374–379.
12.
MoodithayaSAvadhanyST. Gender differences in age-related changes in cardiac autonomic nervous function. J Aging Res2012; 2012: 1–7.
13.
KoenigJThayerJF. Sex differences in healthy human heart rate variability: a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev2016; 64: 288–310.
14.
ShafferFGinsbergJP. An overview of heart rate variability metrics and norms. Front Public Health2017; 5: 1–17.
15.
FlattAAEscoMR. Evaluating individual training adaptation with smartphone-derived heart rate variability in a collegiate female soccer team. J Strength Cond Res2016; 30: 378–385.
16.
MujikaIHalsonSBurkeLM, et al. An integrated, multifactorial approach to periodization for optimal performance in individual and team sports. Int J Sports Physiol Perform2018; 13: 538–561.
17.
BritoJHertzogMNassisGP. Do match-related contextual variables influence training load in highly trained soccer players?J Strength Cond Res2016; 30: 393–399.
18.
RaveGFortratJODawsonB, et al. Heart rate recovery and heart rate variability: use and relevance in European professional soccer. Int J Perform Anal Sport2018; 18: 168–183.
19.
FlattAAEscoMRNakamuraFY, et al. Interpreting daily heart rate variability changes in collegiate female soccer players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness2017; 57: 907–915.
20.
PereiraLAAbadCCCLeivaDF, et al. Relationship between resting heart rate variability and intermittent endurance performance in novice soccer players. Res Q Exerc Sport2019; 90: 355–361.
21.
NédélecMMcCallACarlingC, et al. Recovery in soccer. Sports Med2012; 42: 997–1015.
22.
StanleyJPeakeJMBuchheitM. Cardiac parasympathetic reactivation following exercise: implications for training prescription. Sports Med2013; 43: 1259–1277.
HigginsJPTThomasJChandlerJ, et al. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022.
25.
HigginsJPTAltmanDGGotzschePC, et al. The cochrane collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. Br Med J2011; 343: d5928–d5928.
26.
BorensteinMHedgesLHigginsJPT, et al. Introduction to meta-analysis. Vol. 19. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2009.
27.
CohenJ. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed.New York: Routledge, 2013.
28.
AbadCCCPereiraLAZanettiV, et al. Short-term cardiac autonomic recovery after a repeated sprint test in young soccer players. Sports2019; 7: 102.
29.
BoullosaDAAbreuLNakamuraFY, et al. Cardiac autonomic adaptations in elite Spanish soccer players during preseason. Int J Sports Physiol Perform2013; 8: 400–409.
30.
BuchheitMMendez-VillanuevaAQuodMJ, et al. Determinants of the variability of heart rate measures during a competitive period in young soccer players. Eur J Appl Physiol2010; 109: 869–878.
31.
BuchheitMSimpsonMBal HaddadH, et al. Monitoring changes in physical performance with heart rate measures in young soccer players. Eur J Appl Physiol2012; 112: 711–723.
32.
ChrismasBCRTaylorLThorntonHR, et al. External training loads and smartphone-derived heart rate variability indicate readiness to train in elite soccer. Int J Perform Anal Sport2019; 19: 143–152.
33.
EscoMFlattANakamuraF. Initial weekly HRV response is related to the prospective change in VO2max in female soccer players. Int J Sports Med2016; 37: 436–441.
34.
FigueiredoDHFigueiredoDHMoreiraA, et al. Effect of overload and tapering on individual heart rate variability, stress tolerance, and intermittent running performance in soccer players during a preseason. J Strength Cond Res2019; 33: 1222–1231.
35.
MoralesJRomanVYáñezA, et al. Physiological and psychological changes at the end of the soccer season in elite female athletes. J Hum Kinet2019; 66: 99–109.
36.
OliveiraRSPedroREMilanezVF, et al. Relação entre variabilidade da frequência cardíaca e aumento no desempenho físico em jogadores de futebol. Rev Bras de Cineantropometria e Desempenho Hum2012; 14: 713–722.
37.
Sánchez-SánchezJBotellaJFelipe HernándezJL, et al. Heart rate variability and physical demands of in-season youth elite soccer players. Int J Environ Res Public Health2021; 18: 1391.
38.
SekiguchiYHugginsRACurtisRM, et al. Relationship between heart rate variability and acute:chronic load ratio throughout a season in NCAA D1 men’s soccer players. J Strength Cond Res2021; 35: 1103–1109.
39.
ThorpeRTStrudwickAJBuchheitM, et al. Monitoring fatigue during the in-season competitive phase in elite soccer players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform2015; 10: 958–964.
40.
FlattAAEscoMRNakamuraFY. Individual heart rate variability responses to preseason training in high level female soccer players. J Strength Cond Res2017; 31: 531–538.
41.
SteinPKPuY. Heart rate variability, sleep and sleep disorders. Sleep Med Rev2012; 16: 47–66.
42.
BrandenbergerGBuchheitMEhrhartJ, et al. Is slow wave sleep an appropriate recording condition for heart rate variability analysis?Auton Neurosci2005; 121: 81–86.
43.
DodtCBrecklingUDeradI, et al. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations of healthy humans associated with nighttime sleep and morning arousal. Hypertension1997; 30: 71–76.
44.
FlattAAEscoMR. Smartphone-derived heart-rate variability and training load in a women’s soccer team. Int J Sports Physiol Perform2015; 10: 994–1000.
45.
KuuselaT. Methodological aspects of heart rate variability analysis. In: Heart rate variability (HRV) signal analysis. London: CRC Press, 2012, pp. 9–42.
46.
NédélecMHalsonSAbaidiaAE, et al. Stress, sleep and recovery in elite soccer: a critical review of the literature. Sports Med2015; 45: 1387–1400.
47.
HautalaAJKiviniemiAMTulppoMP. Individual responses to aerobic exercise: the role of the autonomic nervous system. Neurosci Biobehav Rev2009; 33: 107–115.
48.
SeilerSHaugenOKuffelE. Autonomic recovery after exercise in trained athletes: intensity and duration effects. Med Sci Sports Exerc2007; 39: 1366–1373.
49.
ClementeFMLourenço MartinsFMMendesRS. Developing aerobic and anaerobic fitness using small-sided soccer games: methodological proposals. Strength Cond J2014; 36: 76–87.
50.
RavierGMarcel-MilletP. Cardiac parasympathetic reactivation following small-sided games, repeated sprints and circuit training in elite handball players. J Hum Kinet2020; 73: 115–124.
51.
JeongTSReillyTMortonJ, et al. Quantification of the physiological loading of one week of “pre-season” and one week of “in-season” training in professional soccer players. J Sports Sci2011; 29: 1161–1166.
52.
BotekMKrejčíJMcKuneAJ, et al. Somatic, endurance performance and heart rate variability profiles of professional soccer players grouped according to age. J Hum Kinet2016; 54: 65–74.
53.
NakamuraFYPereiraLACal AbadCC, et al. Differences in physical performance between U-20 and senior top-level Brazilian futsal players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness2016; 56: 1289–1297.
54.
ProiettiRdi FronsoSPereiraLA, et al. Heart rate variability discriminates competitive levels in professional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res2017; 31: 1719–1725.
55.
SchäferDGjerdalenGFSolbergEE, et al. Sex differences in heart rate variability: a longitudinal study in international elite cross-country skiers. Eur J Appl Physiol2015; 115: 2107–2114.
56.
DoevenSHBrinkMSKosseSJ, et al. Postmatch recovery of physical performance and biochemical markers in team ball sports: a systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med2018; 4: e000264.
57.
Granero-GallegosAGonzález-QuílezAPlewsD, et al. HRV-based training for improving VO2max in endurance athletes. A systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health2020; 17: 7999.
58.
TowlsonCSalterJAdeJD, et al. Maturity-associated considerations for training load, injury risk, and physical performance in youth soccer: one size does not fit all. J Sport Health Sci2021; 10: 403–412.
59.
WrigleyRDrustBStrattonG, et al. Quantification of the typical weekly in-season training load in elite junior soccer players. J Sports Sci2012; 30: 1573–1580.
