Protection against spikes in workload with aerobic fitness and playing experience: the role of the acute: chronic workload ratio on injury risk in elite Gaelic football

Protection against spikes in workload with aerobic fitness and playing experience: the role of the acute: chronic workload ratio on injury risk in elite Gaelic football

PURPOSE: To examine the association between combined session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) workload measures and injury risk in elite Gaelic footballers.

METHODS: Thirty-seven elite Gaelic footballers (mean +/- SD age 24.2 +/- 2.9 y) from 1 elite squad were involved in a single-season study. Weekly workload (session RPE multiplied by duration) and all time-loss injuries (including subsequent-wk injuries) were recorded during the period. Rolling weekly sums and wk-to-wk changes in workload were measured, enabling the calculation of the acute:chronic workload ratio by dividing acute workload (ie, 1-weekly workload) by chronic workload (ie, rolling-average 4-weekly workload). Workload measures were then modeled against data for all injuries sustained using a logistic-regression model. Odds ratios (ORs) were reported against a reference group.

RESULTS: High 1-weekly workloads (>/=2770 arbitrary units [AU], OR = 1.63-6.75) were associated with significantly higher risk of injury than in a low-training-load reference group (<1250 AU). When exposed to spikes in workload (acute:chronic workload ratio >1.5), players with 1 y experience had a higher risk of injury (OR = 2.22) and players with 2-3 (OR = 0.20) and 4-6 y (OR = 0.24) of experience had a lower risk of injury. Players with poorer aerobic fitness (estimated from a 1-km time trial) had a higher injury risk than those with higher aerobic fitness (OR = 1.50-2.50). An acute:chronic workload ratio of (>/=2.0) demonstrated the greatest risk of injury.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight an increased risk of injury for elite Gaelic football players with high (>2.0) acute:chronic workload ratios and high weekly workloads. A high aerobic capacity and playing experience appears to offer injury protection against rapid changes in workload and high acute:chronic workload ratios. Moderate workloads, coupled with moderate to high changes in the acute:chronic workload ratio, appear to be protective for Gaelic football players.

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Title of Accepted version, as displayed here, differs from the Published title as cited. Accepted version: Aerobic Fitness and Playing Experience Protect Against Spikes in Workload. Published version: Protection Against Spikes in Workload With Aerobic Fitness and Playing Experience.