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Week-to-week changes in training were not prospectively associated with injuries among Wisconsin high school cross-country runners
  1. Mikel Renee Joachim,
  2. Bryan C Heiderscheit,
  3. Stephanie A Kliethermes
  1. Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
  1. Correspondence to Stephanie A Kliethermes, Department of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA; kliethermes{at}ortho.wisc.edu

Abstract

Background Training characteristics, such as volume and duration, have been studied in relation to running-related injury (RRI) risk, with mixed findings in adult runners. There is a lack of research assessing how training characteristics relate to RRI in youth runners, despite the high RRI rates observed in this population.

Purpose To prospectively determine associations between (1) total weekly running volume and duration and (2) week-to-week changes in running volume, duration, intensity and training stress with in-season RRI among high school cross-country runners.

Methods Runners completed a preseason demographics and injury history survey and daily surveys regarding training distance, duration, intensity and current RRI. Values were summed weekly and change scores were calculated relative to the prior week. Runners completing ≥75% of daily surveys were analysed; sensitivity analyses for those completing ≥50% and ≥90% were conducted. Generalised estimating equations assessed associations between change in each predictor, including interactions with sex and RRI within the subsequent week, controlling for year in school, prior RRI and repeated observations.

Results 434 runners enrolled in the study; 161 (37%) completed ≥75% of daily surveys. No associations between total volume, total duration or week-to-week change in training characteristics and in-season RRI were observed (p≥0.54). Sensitivity analyses did not detect any significant associations.

Conclusion Total weekly running volume and duration and weekly changes in training were not associated with RRI. RRI are multifactorial and assessing the interaction between training characteristics and other lifestyle factors is likely necessary for determining RRI risk in youth runners.

  • Adolescent
  • Youth
  • Sports / Leisure Facility

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. Data are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

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Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. Data are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

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Footnotes

  • X @MikelJoachim

  • Contributors All authors conceived and designed the study. SAK is the guarantor. MRJ performed the statistical analysis. SAK independently verified the data and statistical analyses. MRJ wrote the first draft of the manuscript. SAK and BCH critically reviewed and commented on each draft of the manuscript and approved the final manuscript for submission. All authors were responsible for the decision to submit the manuscript. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted.

  • Funding This study was supported by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Freedom of Movement Fund and the Department of Kinesiology Virginia Horne Henry Fund.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research. Refer to the Methods section for further details.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.