Patterns of training volume and injury risk in elite rugby union: An analysis of 1.5 million hours of training exposure over eleven seasons

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2020-02, Vol.38 (3), p.238-247
• Main Authors: West, Stephen W., Williams, Sean, Kemp, Simon P. T., Cross, Matthew J., McKay, Carly, Fuller, Colin W., Taylor, Aileen, Brooks, John H. M., Stokes, Keith A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Athletic Injuries - epidemiology; burden; England - epidemiology; epidemiology; Football - injuries; Humans; Incidence; Injuries; injury; Injury Severity Score; Longitudinal Studies; Physical Conditioning, Human - adverse effects; Physical Conditioning, Human - methods; Physical Conditioning, Human - trends; Regression Analysis; Rugby; Training
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1692415

Rugby union is a popular team sport that demands high levels of physical fitness and skill. The study aim was to examine trends in training volume and its impact on injury incidence, severity and burden over an 11-season period in English professional rugby. Data were recorded from 2007/08 through 2017/18, capturing 1,501,606 h of training exposure and 3,782 training injuries. Players completed, on average, 6 h 48 minutes of weekly training (95% CI: 6 h 30 mins to 7 h 6 mins): this value remained stable over the 11 seasons. The mean incidence of training-related injuries was 2.6/1000 player-hours (95% CI: 2.4 to 2.8) with a mean severity rising from 17 days in 2007/08 to 37 days in 2017/18 (Change/season = 1.773, P