Purpose : This study both investigated and compared Gaelic games players’ and practitioners’ perceptions of the importance of postexercise recovery strategies. Methods : Gaelic players (n = 1178 [n = 574 female], age 24.6 [6.6] y) and practitioners (n = 148 [n = 29 female], age 35.9 [8.7] y) completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of various postexercise recovery strategies (importance ranked out of 5 [1 “not important at all” to 5 “extremely important”]). Players were further categorized by playing standard into developmental (club/collegiate; n = 869) and national (intercounty; n = 309) levels and by sport: Gaelic football (n = 813), camogie/hurling (n = 342), and Gaelic handball (n = 23). Practitioners were categorized as sport coaches (n = 67), strength and conditioning staff (n = 34), nutrition staff (n = 15), and athletic rehabilitation staff (n = 32). Results : Gaelic players prevalently perceived sleep (76.4%), rehydration (72.5%), postexercise meal (48.4%), stretching (47.6%), active cool-down (25.1%), foam rolling (23.1%), and massage by therapist (22.6%) as “extremely important.” Practitioners prevalently perceived sleep (90.1%), rehydration (83.6%), postexercise meal (76.6%), daytime naps (36.2%), stretching (25.4%), discussion with teammates (24.6%), and getting into nature (19.4%) as “extremely important.” Conclusions : While strategies with well-documented efficacy such as sleep, nutrition, and rehydration were rated as most important, a distinct and possibly problematic disconnect exists between the perceived importance of many strategies and their empirically demonstrated effectiveness. For instance, active cool-downs and stretching were perceived as highly important despite prevailing evidence suggesting that their effects are often small in magnitude. Collectively, work promoting optimal recovery practices and aligning player-practitioner perspectives would be beneficial to maximize time and resource allocation and enhance player buy-in.

Lorcan S. Daly

Ciarán Ó. Catháin

David T. Kelly

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

国际运动生理学和表现杂志 (IJSPP) 专注于运动生理学和表现，致力于提高运动和运动生理学家、运动表现研究人员和其他运动科学家的知识。该杂志发表运动生理学和相关学科的权威同行评审研究，重点是在提高运动生理学和相关学科的运动表现方面具有直接实际应用的工作。 IJSPP 每年出版 10 期：1 月、2 月、3 月、4 月、5 月、7 月、8 月、9 月、10 月和 11 月。

The International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (IJSPP) focuses on sports physiology and performance, aiming to enhance the knowledge of exercise physiologists, sports performance researchers, and other sports scientists. The journal publishes authoritative peer-reviewed research in sports physiology and related fields, with a particular emphasis on work that has direct practical applications for improving sports performance. IJSPP is published 10 times a year, with issues released in January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, and November.

《国际运动生理学和表现杂志》(International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance) 专注于运动生理学和运动表现，旨在提升运动生理学家、运动表现研究人员及其他运动科学家的专业知识。该杂志发表运动生理学及相关领域的权威同行评审研究，特别强调对提高运动表现具有直接实际应用价值的研究成果。IJSPP 每年出版 10 期，分别在1月、2月、3月、4月、5月、7月、8月、9月、10月和11月发行。

Category	Quartile
医学	2
医学, 生理学	2
医学, 运动科学	2

Gaelic Games Players’ and Practitioners’ Perceptions of Recovery Strategies

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
SPORT SCIENCES	1