title: 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.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.forename: Dominic A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Doran
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gabbett
authors.forename: Kieran D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: odds risk; session RPE; team sports; workload injury