The Relationship Between Relative External Training Load and Sports Injury in Collegiate Football Players

Abstract

PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the relationship between relative training load and non-contact injuries in collegiate football players. METHODS Eleven players were enrolled in this study. During sports competitions, data were collected using global positioning system (GPS) units (10 Hz), and information on sport-related injuries of the lower extremities was recorded. The acute-to-chronic workload ratio (ACWR) of total distance covered, high-intensity distance (≥18 km/hours), sprint distance (≥21 km/hours) and bouts, work-to-rest ratio, and acceleration-deceleration bouts were calculated. Data were evenly split into quartiles, with the lowest ACWR range used as a reference group. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the injury risk at a given ACWR of each GPS variable, using a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Six players experienced nine injuries, yielding an incidence of 132.93 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures. Based on ACWR values, the highest risk of injury was most associated with total distance covered, followed by high-intensity distance, and sprint bouts. The lowest risk of injury was associated with sprint distance, which yielded a lower injury risk than that in the reference group. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows the need for continued monitoring of in-game athlete performance in preventing non-contact sport-related injuries in football players.

Keywords

• training load
• injury risk
• football
• prevention