TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - The influence of in-season training loads on injury risk in professional rugby union
JO  - International journal of sports physiology and performance
A1  - Cross, Matthew J.
A1  - Williams, Sean
A1  - Trewartha, Grant
A1  - Kemp, Simon P.
A1  - Stokes, Keith A.
SP  - 350
EP  - 355
VL  - 11
IS  - 3
N2  - PURPOSE: To explore the association between in-season training load measures and injury risk in professional Rugby Union players. <br><br>METHODS This was a one-season prospective cohort study of 173 Professional Rugby Union players from four English Premiership teams. Training load (duration x session-RPE) and time-loss injuries were recorded for all players for all pitch and gym based sessions. Generalised estimating equations were used to model the association between in-season training load measures and injury risk in the subsequent week. <br><br>RESULTS: Injury risk increased linearly with one-week loads and week-to-week changes in loads, with a 2 standard deviation (SD) increase in these variables (1245 AU and 1069 AU, respectively) associated with odds ratios of 1.68 (95% CI 1.05-2.68) and 1.58 (95% CI: 0.98-2.54). When compared with the reference group (<3684 AU), a significant non-linear effect was evident for four-week cumulative loads, with a likely beneficial reduction in injury risk associated with intermediate loads of 5932 to 8651 AU (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.22-1.38) (this range equates to around four weeks of average in-season training load), and a likely harmful effect evident for higher loads of >8651 AU (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.98-1.98). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Players had an increased risk of injury if they had high one-week cumulative loads (1245 AU), or large week-to-week changes in load (1069 AU). In addition, a 'U-shaped' relationship was observed for four-week cumulative loads, with an apparent increase in risk associated with higher loads (>8651 AU). These measures should therefore be monitored to inform injury risk reduction strategies.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1555-0265
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2015-0187
ID  - ref1
ER  -