Monitoring Heart Rate Variability and Its Association with High-Intensity Running, Psychometric Status, and Training Load in Elite Female Soccer Players during Match Weeks
, David Recuenco Serrano 2, José Carlos Ponce-Bordón 3 and Hadi Nobari 3,4,5,*
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript. It is about the monitoring of heart rate variability and its relationship to high-intensity running, psychometric status, and training load in elite Spanish female soccer players during match weeks. It is well written and presented, the discussion is well structured but I have some consideration for the methodology adopted. Please, find below my comments
Introduction
Line 62-67: this part is not clear. Please, write it better.
Line 84: please, clarify this sentence.
Methods
The sample is poor, please justify this with a power analysis.
Between the parameters there is the body fat %, please, clarify how it was detected.
There are several limits before the data collection, according to me this could influence with the routine of the player and obviously also with the results of the study.
Considering that the sample is composed by women, it was appropriate also to monitor the menstrual cycle.
The methods adopted (line 150…) is repeated several times. Please, try to present it only one time.
Author Response
Dear Editor and reviewer,
We would like to thank you for taking the time to review and provide expert comments. We have improved the article based on all your comments and we hope it will be accepted by you at this stage.
All the best
Hadi Nobari PhD (on behalf of authors)
R1
Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript. It is about the monitoring of heart rate variability and its relationship to high-intensity running, psychometric status, and training load in elite Spanish female soccer players during match weeks. It is well written and presented, the discussion is well structured but I have some consideration for the methodology adopted. Please, find below my comments
Introduction
Line 62-67: this part is not clear. Please, write it better.
Response: We have revised this section.
Line 84: please, clarify this sentence.
Response: We made a correction.
Methods
The sample is poor, please justify this with a power analysis.
Response: Dear reviewer, we have anylsed and added sample size in the method. However, we introduced as a limitation and suggestion for future study to consider more players.
Between the parameters there is the body fat %, please, clarify how it was detected.
Response: We have included this section in the paper: 2.3.5 Body fat assessment.
There are several limits before the data collection, according to me this could influence with the routine of the player and obviously also with the results of the study.
Response: We have modified all of the items you presented below in the text and presented some of them in the limitations section. Thank you.
Considering that the sample is composed by women, it was appropriate also to monitor the menstrual cycle.
Response: Thank you. We have already considered that, please have a look at the following explanation.
Although the relationship between the menstrual cycle and the ANS is not clear [20-22], this was controlled menstrual stage was controlled in this study by completing a written form [8]. We had scheduled to perform all of the research tests at the beginning or mid-follicular phase based on the information from completing the above form [23]. Therefore, we could not include all the players in the study.
The methods adopted (line 150…) is repeated several times. Please, try to present it only one time.
Response: Dear reviewer, you are right, we have omitted and revised that section.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The paper relates an interesting overview regarding HR variability for soccer players but must be improved to increase its scientific contribution and interest for other researchers in the field. Some of the remarks that can increase the scientific value of the present manuscript are listed below:
- The number of subjects in the conducted test is way to small for a better data analysis overview.
- In my opinion, this type of research must be conducted for a long period, during a tournament or for at least one full season.
- Assuming the type of the research, most of the analysis data were as expected when elite athletes are used as analysis subjects.
- Would be better in this context to analyze more physical effort parameters like respiratory rate or muscle fatigue. The use of cardiac effort is important but not sufficient in this type of study.
- Does the game position of the subjects change the results? Can a defender be compared with a midfielder or a forwarder? What is the ratio between each game position?
- Does a lost or a win influence the analysis?
- The rephrase of the abstract and more relevant conclusions must be considered also.
Author Response
Dear Editor and reviewer,
We would like to thank you for taking the time to review and provide expert comments. We have improved the article based on all your comments and we hope it will be accepted by you at this stage.
All the best
Hadi Nobari PhD (on behalf of authors)
R2
The paper relates an interesting overview regarding HR variability for soccer players but must be improved to increase its scientific contribution and interest for other researchers in the field. Some of the remarks that can increase the scientific value of the present manuscript are listed below:
- The number of subjects in the conducted test is way to small for a better data analysis overview.
Response: Thank you for your expert opinion. According to your opinion, we added sample size analysis to the study. We also presented it as a limitation in the limitations section and suggested studies to do it with more participants in the future.
- In my opinion, this type of research must be conducted for a long period, during a tournament or for at least one full season.
Response: We completely agree with you; we could not do it due to the restrictions that existed for long-term cooperation in the club. Therefore, we presented this as a limitation and suggested researchers consider it. Thank you for your valuable comment.
- Assuming the type of the research, most of the analysis data were as expected when elite athletes are used as analysis subjects.
Response: Thank you so much for your comment and we have followed it.
- Would be better in this context to analyze more physical effort parameters like respiratory rate or muscle fatigue. The use of cardiac effort is important but not sufficient in this type of study.
Response: Dear reviewer, we appreciate you. However, unfortunately, we did not have access to such tools. We thank you and add it as a suggestion for further studies in the article.
- Does the game position of the subjects change the results? Can a defender be compared with a midfielder or a forwarder? What is the ratio between each game position?
- Does a lost or a win influence the analysis?
Response: Dear reviewer, due to the small number of players, when we considered the analysis based on the players' positions, we did not have some positions and in others, there was only one player. This would cause the percentage of the error to be very high and the results would not be reliable. Therefore, we did not present it. Finally, we presented the consideration of players' positions as well as game results as a suggestion in the limitations section for authors to consider in future research. In order to influence match results, we have recently conducted a separate study, which we present below. Thank you very much.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8430763/
- The rephrase of the abstract and more relevant conclusions must be considered also.
Response: Thank you, we rephrased this section based on your suggestion.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Thank you for addressing my revisions and comments. The manuscript results improved.
