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. Immediately after each stage, contrast sensitivity and peripheral vision were assessed. No significant differences were found between the groups for VO(2)peak. Reserve team players had significantly lower (p < .05) submaximal values of %VO(2)peak and Delta HR (pre-exercise heart rate) at the same running speed compared to 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 km.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.