research, in progress
The heart says ready. The legs disagree.
I'm studying how a footballer's body truly recovers between matches, and why the readings most players trust tell only half the story.
The cardiovascular system tends to recover from a match within a day, while muscles, tendons and the nervous system can need two to three. Wrist trackers mostly read the heart, so they can declare a player recovered while the hamstrings are still repairing, which is precisely the window where soft-tissue injuries tend to happen.
My work explores a readiness picture that separates the two: what a session does to the legs, measured close to the pitch, weighed against how the body recovers overnight. The aim is a single, plain decision for coaching staff rather than another number for players to worry about.
illustrative, two days after a match
Leg readinessstill repairing
matchday 1day 2day 3
When the two disagree, the right call is a lighter session, not a green light.