Training load characteristics and injury and illness risk identification in elite youth ski racing: A prospective study |
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| Authors: | Carolin Hildebrandt Renate Oberhoffer Christian Raschner Erich Müller Christian Fink Lisa Steidl-Müller |
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| Institution: | aDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria;bDepartment of Sport and Health Science, Preventative Pediatrics, Technical University of Munich, Munich 80992, Germany;cDepartment of Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg 5400, Austria;dGelenkpunkt – Sports and Joint Surgery, Innsbruck 6020, Austria |
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| Abstract: | PurposeThe study aimed to investigate the role of training load characteristics and injury and illness risk in youth ski racing.MethodsThe training load characteristics as well as traumatic injuries, overuse injuries, and illnesses of 91 elite youth ski racers (age = 12.1 ± 1.3 years, mean ± SD) were prospectively recorded over a period of 1 season by using a sport-specific online database. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to monitor the influence of training load on injuries and illnesses. Differences in mean training load characteristics between preseason, in-season, and post-season were calculated using multivariate analyses of variance.ResultsDifferences were discovered in the number of weekly training sessions (p = 0.005) between pre-season (4.97 ± 1.57) and post-season (3.24 ± 0.71), in the mean training volume (p = 0.022) between in-season (865.8 ± 197.8 min) and post-season (497.0 ± 225.5 min) and in the mean weekly training intensity (Index) (p = 0.012) between in-season (11.7 ± 1.8) and post-season (8.9 ± 1.7). A total of 185 medical problems were reported (41 traumatic injuries, 12 overuse injuries, and 132 illnesses). The weekly training volume and training intensity was not a significant risk factor for injuries (p > 0.05). Training intensity was found to be a significant risk factor for illnesses in the same week (β = 0.348; p = 0.044; R² = 0.121) and training volume represents a risk factor for illnesses in the following week (β = 0.397; p = 0.027; R² = 0.157).ConclusionA higher training intensity and volume were associated with increased illnesses, but not with a higher risk of injury. Monitoring training and ensuring appropriate progression of training load between weeks may decrease incidents of illness in-season. |
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| Keywords: | Health problems Injury and illness prevention Training load Youth ski racing |
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