Australian Soccer in Asia; the effects of Asian Champions League on Load, Recovery and Injury

Howle, Kieran John

Australian Soccer in Asia; the effects of Asian Champions League on Load, Recovery and Injury

Howle, Kieran John

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2020

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Howle, Kieran John
dc.date.accessioned	2020-08-25T02:39:02Z
dc.date.available	2020-08-25T02:39:02Z
dc.date.issued	2020
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/142338
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health.	en_AU
dc.description.abstract	This thesis examines the effect of congested schedules on injury, training load distribution and recovery in Australian football (soccer) as a consequence of competing in the Asian Champions League (ACL). To achieve this, data were collected across 3 seasons between 2012-2015 from one club playing in concurrent competitions of the A-League and ACL. Acute and prolonged competition periods of congested scheduling were identified, along with seasons with and without congested schedules. For study 1, acute (by week) and prolonged (by season) periods of congestion were investigated independently to establish the effects on injury and training load during multi-match (MM) or single-match (SM) weeks. In study 2, a prolonged 36-day period of 11 matches was identified and compared with a matched non-congested period that maintained ‘normal’ 1 match/week microcycles. Respective periods were then compared to establish the effect of longer periods of congestion on training loads, recovery profiles and injury risk. For study 3, recovery profiles were compared between SM and MM weeks using subjective wellness and selected outcome measures including; hip adduction squeeze test (HAST), active knee extension (AKE), knee to wall (KTW) and sit and reach. Key findings from these studies were: Study 1 - Injury incidence and workloads during congested schedules in football. • Increased total, match and training injury rates existed in acute congested (MM) periods. • Total, match and training injuries are increased in seasons with greater volume of fixture congestion. • No differences existed in session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) total load between MM and SM, despite significant reduction in sRPE training load in MM weeks. • Total injury rates are increased in seasons with greater match scheduling despite significantly reduced sRPE total and training load. Study 2 - Prolonged periods of fixture congestion in Australian soccer; effects on training load distribution, recovery and injury. • Total load (match + training) during prolonged congested was reduced when compared to the non-congested period. • sRPE Acute to Chronic Workload Ratio’s (ACWR) do not differ between congested and non-congested periods, despite reduced internal and external training loads during the congested period. • Perceived wellness was reduced at 48h post and 24h pre (72h post) match in a prolonged congested period. • Increased total, match and training injury rates are evident during prolonged congested periods. Study 3 - Recovery profiles following single and multiple matches per week in professional football. • Perceived wellness and total quality recovery were reduced at 48h post MM match 2, when compared to SM and Baseline. • Measures of wellness returned to Baseline at 72h post-match 1 in SM playing group indicating a 72h recovery period during SM weeks. • The hip adduction squeeze test measures at 48h post MM match 2 were reduced when compared to SM match and MM match 1. Collectively, these findings show that both acute and prolonged congested schedules have a negative impact on injury rates for this Australian team competing in A-League and ACL competitions. Of interest, despite similar sRPE total loads (match + training) between SM and MM weeks, increased injury rates existed in acute congested periods. In prolonged periods, the ACWR was also not significantly different between periods, indicating that internal sRPE total load distribution was not sensitive to differences between periods. Further, despite significantly decreased sRPE total and training load, injury rates were increased for total, match and training. Accordingly, increased match exposures within acute and prolonged congested schedules may help to explain the increased match injuries reported; however, the reason for higher training injuries in both acute and prolonged periods is less clear. When considering MM weeks, slower recovery was reported when compared to SM, suggesting that players take longer to recover during acute congested schedules. Therefore, practitioners should consider these findings when planning periodisation of training, recovery and squad rotation during congested schedules.	en_AU
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/142338/2/02whole.pdf
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/ppc
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Australian Soccer in Asia; the effects of Asian Champions League on Load, Recovery and Injury	en_AU
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

This thesis examines the effect of congested schedules on injury, training load distribution and recovery in Australian football (soccer) as a consequence of competing in the Asian Champions League (ACL). To achieve this, data were collected across 3 seasons between 2012-2015 from one club playing in concurrent competitions of the A-League and ACL. Acute and prolonged competition periods of congested scheduling were identified, along with seasons with and without congested schedules. For study 1, acute (by week) and prolonged (by season) periods of congestion were investigated independently to establish the effects on injury and training load during multi-match (MM) or single-match (SM) weeks. In study 2, a prolonged 36-day period of 11 matches was identified and compared with a matched non-congested period that maintained ‘normal’ 1 match/week microcycles. Respective periods were then compared to establish the effect of longer periods of congestion on training loads, recovery profiles and injury risk. For study 3, recovery profiles were compared between SM and MM weeks using subjective wellness and selected outcome measures including; hip adduction squeeze test (HAST), active knee extension (AKE), knee to wall (KTW) and sit and reach. Key findings from these studies were: Study 1 - Injury incidence and workloads during congested schedules in football. • Increased total, match and training injury rates existed in acute congested (MM) periods. • Total, match and training injuries are increased in seasons with greater volume of fixture congestion. • No differences existed in session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) total load between MM and SM, despite significant reduction in sRPE training load in MM weeks. • Total injury rates are increased in seasons with greater match scheduling despite significantly reduced sRPE total and training load. Study 2 - Prolonged periods of fixture congestion in Australian soccer; effects on training load distribution, recovery and injury. • Total load (match + training) during prolonged congested was reduced when compared to the non-congested period. • sRPE Acute to Chronic Workload Ratio’s (ACWR) do not differ between congested and non-congested periods, despite reduced internal and external training loads during the congested period. • Perceived wellness was reduced at 48h post and 24h pre (72h post) match in a prolonged congested period. • Increased total, match and training injury rates are evident during prolonged congested periods. Study 3 - Recovery profiles following single and multiple matches per week in professional football. • Perceived wellness and total quality recovery were reduced at 48h post MM match 2, when compared to SM and Baseline. • Measures of wellness returned to Baseline at 72h post-match 1 in SM playing group indicating a 72h recovery period during SM weeks. • The hip adduction squeeze test measures at 48h post MM match 2 were reduced when compared to SM match and MM match 1. Collectively, these findings show that both acute and prolonged congested schedules have a negative impact on injury rates for this Australian team competing in A-League and ACL competitions. Of interest, despite similar sRPE total loads (match + training) between SM and MM weeks, increased injury rates existed in acute congested periods. In prolonged periods, the ACWR was also not significantly different between periods, indicating that internal sRPE total load distribution was not sensitive to differences between periods. Further, despite significantly decreased sRPE total and training load, injury rates were increased for total, match and training. Accordingly, increased match exposures within acute and prolonged congested schedules may help to explain the increased match injuries reported; however, the reason for higher training injuries in both acute and prolonged periods is less clear. When considering MM weeks, slower recovery was reported when compared to SM, suggesting that players take longer to recover during acute congested schedules. Therefore, practitioners should consider these findings when planning periodisation of training, recovery and squad rotation during congested schedules.

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