Post-game recovery strategies in elite female soccer: A cross-sectional survey of Spanish first and second division teams

Abstract

To ensure optimal recovery, a broad range of techniques exist and are used by soccer players. Nevertheless, the body of research on the use of recovery strategies in elite women's soccer remains limited, particularly when contrasted with the more extensive evidence available in men's soccer. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe and characterize the post-game recovery strategies adopted by top-level female teams. Data were collected from all Spanish women's soccer teams competing in the “Liga F” and “Primera Federación” (n = 33) during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 seasons. The strength and conditioning coach of each team responded once to a five-section online survey. The findings revealed variability in protocols, timings, and recovery strategies among teams. However, natural and physical recovery strategies such as sleep/nap, food/fluid replacement, use of supplementation, massage, and foam rolling were the most frequently used among thirty-one teams (>94%). Additionally, thirty teams (>91%) periodized and combined multiple recovery methods in accordance with scientific recommendations. Thirteen teams (39%) acknowledged not individualizing recovery, whereas the other twenty considered various parameters, with prior personal experiences being the most influential factor. Despite the focus on female players, only eight teams (24%) accounted for the menstrual cycle in their recovery plan. Furthermore, the differences observed between first and second-division teams in the number of recovery strategies used, were not statistically significant (p = 0.771). This study provides a current and comprehensive overview of the use of post-game recovery strategies by Spanish elite female soccer teams. Currently, no consensus exists regarding the strategies employed or the parameters considered by many of the surveyed teams. Furthermore, this article aims to provide a descriptive analysis with pertinent contextual information tailoring a general profile of the recovery protocols mainly used in female players professional settings.