Hulin, Billy T. and Gabbett, Tim J. and Caputi, Peter and Lawson, Daniel W. and Sampson, John A. (2016) Low chronic workload and the acute: chronic workload ratio are more predictive of injury than between-match recovery time: a two-season prospective cohort study in elite rugby league players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50 (16). pp. 1008-1012. ISSN 0306-3674
Abstract
Background: Between-match recovery time, and acute and chronic workloads likely affect subsequent match-injury risk in elite rugby league players. Methods: Workloads of 28 players throughout two seasons were calculated during short (<7 days), and long (≥7 days) between-match recovery times. 'Acute' workloads (1 week) greater than 'chronic' workloads (4-week rolling average acute workload) resulted in acute:chronic workload ratios above 1. Results: No difference was found between the match-injury risk of short and long between-match recovery periods (7.5±2.5% vs 6.8±2.5%). When players had a short recovery between matches, high chronic workloads (18.9-22.0 km) were associated with a smaller risk of match injury than chronic workloads <18.9 km (relative risk (RR) range 0.27-0.32 (CI 0.08 to 0.92); likelihood range 90-95%, likely). Players who had shorter recovery and acute:chronic workload ratios ≥1.6, were 3.4-5.8 times likely to sustain a match injury than players with lower acute:chronic workload ratios (RR range 3.41-5.80 (CI 1.17 to 19.2); likelihood range 96-99%, very likely). Acute:chronic workload ratios between 1.2 and 1.6 during short between-match recovery times demonstrated a greater risk of match injury than ratios between 1.0 and 1.2 (RR=2.88 (CI 0.97 to 8.55); likelihood=92%, likely). Conclusions: Contrary to the philosophy that high workloads and shorter recovery equate to increased injury risk, our data suggest that high and very-high chronic workloads may protect against match injury following shorter between-match recovery periods. Acute:chronic workload ratios ∼1.5 are associated with a greater risk of match injury than lower acute:chonic workload ratios. Importantly, workloads can be manipulated to decrease the match-injury risk associated with shorter recovery time between matches.
![]() |
Statistics for this ePrint Item |
Item Type: | Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) |
---|---|
Refereed: | Yes |
Item Status: | Live Archive |
Additional Information: | Published version cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | No Faculty |
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | No Faculty |
Date Deposited: | 18 May 2017 01:05 |
Last Modified: | 06 Jan 2021 01:37 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | fitness; global positioning system; injury; recovery; training; adult; athletic injuries; athletic performance; Australia; football; humans; male; prospective studies; recovery of function; return to sport; risk factors; time factors; workload; injury prevention |
Fields of Research (2008): | 11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1106 Human Movement and Sports Science > 110604 Sports Medicine |
Fields of Research (2020): | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3202 Clinical sciences > 320225 Sports medicine |
Socio-Economic Objectives (2008): | C Society > 92 Health > 9299 Other Health > 929999 Health not elsewhere classified |
Identification Number or DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-095364 |
URI: | http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/32254 |
Actions (login required)
![]() |
Archive Repository Staff Only |