An explorative study into the relationship between increasing exercise intensity and visual function in prepubertal male soccer players

Nine first team (age, 11.7 ± 0.32 years) and nine reserve team (age, 11.8 ± 0.32 years) soccer players completed a discontinuous incremental exercise test to exhaustion on a treadmill. Each submaximal stage lasted 3 min. Irnrnediately after each stage, contrast sensitivity and peripheral vision were assessed. No significant differences were found between the groups for VO2peak. Reserve team players had significantly lower (p < .05) submaximal values of %VO2peak and ΔHR (pre-exercise heart rate) at the same running speed comparedto first team players. Significant relationships (p < .05) were noted between outer peripheral vision and respiratory exchange ratio following maximal exercise (r = 0.55) and between respiratory rate and outer peripheral vision following the first (8.0 krn · h−1) exercise stage, r = −0.49. However, it was difficult to reconcile physiological significance to these relationships, which would only account for 24 to 29% of the shown variance.