Relationships Between Training Load Metrics and Injury in Collegiate Women's Soccer
Abstract
Injury risk reduction is an ever-evolving topic within an athletic environment. Consequences from an injury include participation time loss, financial, social, and personal costs. Coaching and medical staff strive to reduce the risk through various manners. Training load monitoring is one method that is utilized in injury risk reduction through global positioning systems (GPS) with statistical modeling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the external loads for training sessions and competition in starters versus non-starters; to determine if there were control chart violations associated with sustained injuries; and to determine whether in-season injuries were associate with one or more control chart violations. NCAA Division I female soccer players were recruited during the fall 2019 season. Participants were provided a STATSports GPS unit to wear during all practice and competition sessions to analyze the following variables: total distance, high metabolic load distance, sprints, accelerations, decelerations, and dynamic stress load (DSL). These variables were analyzed using statistical process control charts (SPC Charts) and Nelson Rules. Overall, there were 1,235 violations for the team, with the highest amount coming from DSL. Throughout the season, there were 16 time-loss injuries. Within the 3- and 7-day periods prior to injury, there were only two cases in which the injured athlete had more violations when compared to the team average. Therefore, SPC Charts were not a good indicator of injury risk prediction within this population. Future research includes reassessing these methods within a larger population and for a longer duration (i.e. several seasons).
General Audience Abstract
Reducing the risk of injury in athletes is a focal point for many coaches, training, and medical staffs in collegiate athletics. The consequences of injury range from loss of playing time to financial and long-term health costs. Being able to reduce the risk of injuries not only has personal implications for the athlete but also relates to overall team success. Using global positioning systems (GPS) to track the amount of work done in training can possibly reduce injury risk. This study planned to investigate the workload in NCAA Division 1 collegiate female soccer athletes and if any injuries were sustained during both training and competition settings. The results suggest that statistical process control (SPC) charts and the Nelson Rules did not predict injury risk within this population. There is limited research that has used these tools. Future work can reassess these methods within larger collegiate athletic populations, over a longer period of time.
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