Effects of SARS-COV-2 Infection on Muscle Injury Healing in Professional Football Athletes, Preliminary Results - Abstract
Objectives: Muscle injuries are a serious problem for professional athletes, hampered by long recovery periods and absence from competition. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if there is any difference in recovery time between SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative professional football players.
Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study. 109 high-level professional athletes with lower limb muscles injuries were studied with MRI. Two groups were formed and who tested positive was followed until exhibit negative test. Positive athletes were divided into sub-groups according to the duration of the disease. Linear regression test was performed to assess the correlation degree between the variable “disease grade (0-3)” and injury duration and between the variable “injury length (mm)” and injury duration. Analysis of variance with ANOVA study was then performed assessing the individual influence of “disease grade” and “injury length” on injury time.
Results: 26 lesions fulfilled the inclusion criteria. “Injury length” and “injury duration” showed correlation (p = 0, 2026); “disease grade” and “injury duration” showed mild correlation (y = 25, 5789 + 7, 1026 x; p = 0, 1). An increasing trend was noted in the correlation between the duration of swab positivity and the injury time.
Conclusions: It is plausible that the generalised inflammatory state may disturb the healing processes by interfering with the cytokine environment; further studies may find important information which will have a direct impact on athletes’ systemic therapies aimed at rebalancing body homeostasis.