Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the existence of a relationship between training load and injury continues to be well supported in the literature and is strongest for subjective internal training load .
The directionality of this relationship appears to depend on the type and timeframe of load measured
Background The relationship between training load and musculoskeletal injury is a rapidly advancing area of research in need of an up date d systematic review .
High chronic training loads and exposure to bouts of maximal velocity running reduce injury risk in elite Gaelic football.
OBJECTIVES To examine the relationship between chronic training loads , number of exposures to maximal velocity , the distance covered at maximal velocity , percentage of maximal velocity in training and match-play and subsequent injury risk in elite Gaelic footballers . DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort design . METHODS Thirty-seven elite Gaelic footballers from one elite squad were involved in a one-season study . Training and game loads ( session-RPE multiplied by duration in min ) were recorded in conjunction with external match and training loads ( using global positioning system technology ) to measure the distance covered at maximal velocity , relative maximal velocity and the number of player exposures to maximal velocity across weekly periods during the season . Lower limb injuries were also recorded . Training load and GPS data were modelled against injury data using logistic regression . Odds ratios ( OR ) were calculated based on chronic training load status , relative maximal velocity and number of exposures to maximal velocity with these reported against the lowest reference group for these variables . RESULTS Players who produced over 95 % maximal velocity on at least one occasion within training environments had lower risk of injury compared to the reference group of 85 % maximal velocity on at least one occasion ( OR : 0.12 , p=0.001 ) . Higher chronic training loads ( ≥4750AU ) allowed players to tolerate increased distances ( between 90 to 120 m ) and exposures to maximal velocity ( between 10 to 15 exposures ) , with these exposures having a protective effect compared to lower exposures ( OR : 0.22 p=0.026 ) and distance ( OR=0.23 , p=0.055 ) . CONCLUSIONS Players who had higher chronic training loads ( ≥4750AU ) tolerated increased distances and exposures to maximal velocity when compared to players exposed to low chronic training loads ( ≤4750AU ) . Under- and over-exposure of players to maximal velocity events ( represented by a U-shaped curve ) increased the risk of injury
Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the existence of a relationship between training load and injury continues to be well supported in the literature and is strongest for subjective internal training load .
The directionality of this relationship appears to depend on the type and timeframe of load measured
Background The relationship between training load and musculoskeletal injury is a rapidly advancing area of research in need of an up date d systematic review .