title: Preseason Aerobic Capacity Is an Independent Predictor of In-Season Injury in Collegiate Soccer Players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether preseason aerobic capacity is independently associated with in-season injury among collegiate soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University athletic department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three NCAA Division I soccer athletes (male = 23).
  
  
  METHODS
  Gender and preseason lean body mass (LBM), body fat percentage (BF%), and maximal aerobic capacity (V[Combining Dot Above]O2max).
  
  
  METHODS
  In-season injuries were recorded during the season, and body composition and fitness variables were compared between injured and uninjured players. Multivariate regression models were developed to predict injury during the entire season and during the first 4 weeks of the season.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five injuries among 25 players were recorded during the season. Players injured at any point during the season had lower V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (57.7 vs 63.4 mL·kg·min, P = 0.014) and Tmax (15.8 vs 17.2 minutes, P = 0.035), compared with uninjured players, but no differences were noted in age, gender, LBM, or BF%. Players injured during the first 4 weeks of the season had lower LBM (49.7 vs 56.0 kg, P = 0.038) and Tmax (15.1 vs 16.7 minutes, P = 0.043) than uninjured players. For injuries occurring throughout the entire season, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max was an independent predictor of injury (P = 0.043), whereas gender, LBM, and BF% were not. During the first 4 weeks of the season, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (P = 0.035) and LBM (P = 0.049) were related to injury, whereas gender and BF% were not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aerobic fitness is an independent predictor of in-season injury. Early-season injuries are related to aerobic fitness and LBM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to increase aerobic capacity and LBM among soccer players in the off-season may help reduce in-season injury.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Orthopedics, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin; and Departments of †Biology; and ‡Athletics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brindle
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brickson
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Allee
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanfilippo
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult