title: Increase in injury risk with low body mass and aerobic-running fitness in elite Australian football.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationships between player characteristics (including age, playing experience, ethnicity, and physical fitness) and in-season injury in elite Australian football.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-cohort, prospective, longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Player characteristics (height, body mass, age, experience, ethnicity, playing position), preseason fitness (6-min run, 40-m sprint, 6×40-m sprint, vertical jump), and in-season injury data were collected over 4 seasons from 1 professional Australian football club. Data were analyzed for 69 players, for a total of 3879 player rounds and 174 seasons. Injury risk (odds ratio [OR]) and injury severity (matches missed; rate ratio [RR]) were assessed using a series of multilevel univariate and multivariate hierarchical linear models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 177 injuries were recorded with 494 matches missed (2.8±3.3 matches/injury). The majority (87%) of injuries affected the lower body, with hamstring (20%) and groin/hip (14%) most prevalent. Nineteen players (28%) suffered recurrent injuries. Injury incidence was increased in players with low body mass (OR=0.887, P=.005), with poor 6-min-run performance (OR=0.994, P=.051), and playing as forwards (OR=2.216, P=.036). Injury severity was increased in players with low body mass (RR=0.892, P=.008), tall stature (RR=1.131, P=.002), poor 6-min-run (RR=0.990, P=.006), and slow 40-m-sprint (RR=3.963, P=.082) performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The potential to modify intrinsic risk factors is greatest in the preseason period, and improvements in aerobic-running fitness and increased body mass may protect against in-season injury in elite Australian football.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Exercise and Sport Science, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Gastin
authors.forename: Denny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Emy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huntsman
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult