@article{ref1,
title="The relationship between performance and injury in junior Australian football athletes",
journal="International journal of sports physiology and performance",
year="2022",
author="Bennett, Hunter and Chalmers, Samuel and Arnold, John and Milanese, Steve and Blacket, Chloe and Niculescu, Andrei and Fuller, Joel",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: Determine the impact of preseason and between-seasons changes in individual physical performance on injury risk in elite junior Australian football players and if injuries sustained during a season impact subsequent-season performance improvement. <br><br>METHODS: This prospective cohort study assessed individual performance measures (sprint speed, jump, agility, and aerobic endurance) during preseason over 4 consecutive seasons. Injury status (injured/not injured) was tracked weekly to determine the relationship between individual performance and in-season injury occurrence. Mixed models were used to determine the relationship between physical performance and injury, and the effect of injury on physical performance improvement. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 206 players played 2 consecutive seasons and were included (17.6 y, 181.9 cm, 75.7 kg). Faster players during preseason experienced higher injury incidence (injuries/season) during that playing season (incidence rate ratio = 0.127; P =.034). Injury incidence was not influenced by between-seasons change in any performance measure. Players injured during their first season maintained their aerobic fitness, which declined in noninjured players (d = 0.39; P =.013). Players who sustained a lower-limb injury during their first season saw smaller improvements in sprint speed than players who did not get injured (d = 0.39; P =.035). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Faster players experience higher injury incidence than slower players and may require specific prevention interventions. Players who experience a lower-limb injury during the playing season do not improve sprint speed between seasons to the same extent as players who do not get injured, highlighting the need for targeted high-speed running ability development as part of rehabilitation.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1555-0265",
doi="10.1123/ijspp.2021-0308",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2021-0308"
}