scholarly journals Athlete workloads during collegiate women's soccer practice: Implications for return-to-play

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Kupperman ◽  
Alexandra F. DeJong ◽  
Peter Alston ◽  
Jay Hertel ◽  
Susan A. Saliba
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Division I ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Game Play ◽  
Strength And Conditioning ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Simulated Game ◽  
Women's Soccer

Abstract Context: Athlete monitoring using wearable technology is often incorporated with soccer athletes. While evaluations have tracked global outcomes across soccer seasons, there is little information on athlete loads during individual practice drills. Understanding these demands is important for athletic trainers for return-to-play decision-making. Objective: To provide descriptive information on total distance, total playerload (PL), distance per minute, and PL per minute for practice drill structures and game-play by player position among female soccer athletes across a competitive season. Design: Retrospective, observational field study. Setting: NCAA Division I university. Patients or other Participants: Thirty-two female college soccer players (20±1 years). Interventions: Athletes wore a single GPS and triaxial accelerometer unit during all practices and games in a single soccer season. Individual practice drills were labeled by the team's strength and conditioning coach, and binned into physical, technical and tactical skills, and small- and large-sided competition drill structures. Main Outcome Measures: Descriptive analyses were used to assess the median total distance, total PL, distance per minute, and PL per minute by drill structure and player position (defenders, midfielders, forwards/strikers) during practices and games. Results: Small- and large-sided competitive drills imposed the greatest percentage of workload across all measures for each position (~20% of total practice), followed by physical drills. When comparing technical and tactical, technical skills required athletes to cover the greatest distance (technical: ~17%; tactical: ~15%), tactical skills required higher play intensity during practices across all positions (technical: ~18%; tactical: ~13%). Defenders had the highest median PL outcomes of all positions during practices. Conclusions: Different practice drill types imposed varying levels of demands on female soccer athletes, which simulated game play. Athletic trainers and other clinicians may use this information for formulating objective return-to-play guidelines for injured collegiate women's soccer players.

scholarly journals Increased Lower Extremity Injury Risk Associated With Player Load and Distance in Collegiate Women’s Soccer

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 232596712110482
Author(s):  
Michelle Xiao ◽  
Jessica N. Nguyen ◽  
Calvin E. Hwang ◽  
Geoffrey D. Abrams
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Division I ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
Extremity Injury ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Women's Soccer

Background: There is limited research regarding the impact of workload on injury risk specific to women’s soccer. Wearable global positioning system (GPS) units can track workload metrics such as total distance traveled and player load during games and training sessions. These metrics can be useful in predicting injury risk. Purpose: To examine the relationship between injury risk and player workload as collected from wearable GPS units in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women’s soccer players. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Lower extremity injury incidence and GPS workload data (player load, total distance, and high-speed distance) for 65 NCAA Division I women’s soccer players were collected over 3 seasons. Accumulated 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-week loads and acute-to-chronic workload ratios (ACWR) were classified into discrete ranges by z-scores. ACWR was calculated using rolling averages and exponentially weighted moving averages (EWMA) models. Binary logistic regression models were used to compare the 7:28 rolling average and EWMA ACWRs between injured and noninjured players for all GPS/accelerometer variables. The prior 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-week accumulated loads for all GPS/accelerometer variables were compared between the injured and uninjured cohorts using 2-sample t tests. Results: There were a total of 53 lower extremity injuries that resulted in lost time recorded (5.76/1000 hours “on-legs” exposure time; 34 noncontact and 19 contact injuries). The prior 2-week (7242 vs 6613 m/s2; P = .02), 3-week (10,533 vs 9718 m/s2; P = .02), and 4-week (13,819 vs 12,892 m/s2; P = .04) accumulated player loads and 2-week (62.40 vs 57.25 km; P = .04), 3-week (90.97 vs 84.10 km; P = .03), and 4-week (119.31 vs 111.38 km; P = .05) accumulated total distances were significantly higher for injured players compared with noninjured players during the same time frames. There were no significant differences in player load, total distance, or high-speed distance ACWR between injured and noninjured players for both the rolling averages and EWMA calculations. Conclusion: Higher accumulated player load and total distance, but not ACWR, were associated with injury in women’s soccer players.

Reduced High-Intensity-Running Rate in College Women’s Soccer When Games Are Separated by 42 Hours

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. McCormack ◽  
Jay R. Hoffman ◽  
Gabriel J. Pruna ◽  
Tyler C. Scanlon ◽  
Jonathan D. Bohner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Damage ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Division I ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Glycogen Depletion ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Competitive Season ◽  
Gps Devices

Purpose:During the competitive soccer season, women’s intercollegiate matches are typically played on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. The efficacy of a 42-h recovery period is not well understood. This investigation was conducted to determine performance differences between Friday and Sunday matches during a competitive season.Methods:Ten NCAA Division I female soccer players (20.5 ± 1.0 y, 166.6 ± 5.1 cm, 61.1 ± 5.8 kg) were monitored with 10-Hz GPS devices across 8 weekends with matches played on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. The players were outside backs, midfielders, and forwards. All players had to participate in a minimum of 45 min/match to be included in the study. Average minutes played, total distance covered, total distance of high-intensity running (HIR) (defined as running at a velocity equal to or exceeding 3.61 m/s for longer than 1 s), the number of HIR efforts, and the number of sprints were calculated for each match. Data for Friday vs Sunday matches were averaged and then compared using dependent t tests.Results:No differences were seen in minutes played, distance rate, or number of sprints between Friday and Sunday matches. A significant (P = .017) decrease in rate of HIR between Friday (25.37 ± 7.22 m/min) and Sunday matches (22.90 ± 5.70 m/min) was seen. In addition, there was a trend toward a difference (P = .073) in the number of efforts of HIR between Friday (138.41 ± 36.43) and Sunday (126.92 ± 31.31).Conclusions:NCAA Division I female soccer players cover less distance of HIR in games played less than 48 h after another game. This could be due to various factors such as dehydration, glycogen depletion, or muscle damage.

scholarly journals Collegiate Athletic Trainers' Experiences With External Pressures Faced During Decision Making

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-415
Author(s):  
Alicia M. Pike Lacy ◽  
Stephanie Mazerolle Singe ◽  
Thomas G. Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
Division I ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Major Theme ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Medical Decisions

Context Conflict is prevalent between sports medicine professionals and coaching staffs regarding return-to-play decisions for athletes after injury in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I setting. The firsthand experiences of athletic trainers (ATs) regarding such conflict have not been fully investigated. Objective To better understand the outside pressures ATs face when making medical decisions regarding patient care and return to play after injury in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) setting. Design Qualitative study. Setting Semistructured one-on-one telephone interviews. Patients or Other Participants Nine ATs (4 men, 5 women; age = 31 ± 8 years [range = 24–48 years]; years certified = 9 ± 8). Data Collection and Analysis Interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed. Thematic analysis was completed phenomenologically. Researcher triangulation, peer review, and member checks were used to establish trustworthiness. Results Two major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) pressure is an expected component of the Division I FBS AT role, and (2) strategies can be implemented to mitigate the negative effects of pressure. Three subthemes supported the second major theme: (1) ensuring ongoing and frequent communication with stakeholders about an injured athlete's status and anticipated timeline for return to play, (2) providing a rationale to coaches or administrations to foster an understanding of why specific medical decisions are being made, and (3) establishing positive relationships with coaches, athletes, and administrations. Conclusions External pressure regarding medical decisions was an anticipated occurrence for our sample. Such pressure was described as a natural part of the position, not negative but rather a product of the culture and environment of the Division I FBS setting. Athletic trainers who frequently face pressure from coaches and administration should use the aforementioned strategies to improve the workplace dynamic and foster an environment that focuses on patient-centered care.

scholarly journals Session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE) Load and Training Impulse Are Strongly Correlated to GPS-Derived Measures of External Load in NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Athletes

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Askow ◽  
Alexa L. Lobato ◽  
Daniel J. Arndts ◽  
Will Jennings ◽  
Andreas Kreutzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
External Load ◽  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Rating Of Perceived Exertion ◽  
Division I ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Training Impulse ◽  
Women's Soccer

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether session rating of perceived exertion-derived training load (sRPE-TL) correlates with GPS-derived measures of external load in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I female soccer athletes. Methods: Twenty-one NCAA Division 1 collegiate women’s soccer athletes (11 starters, 10 non-starters; 65.1 ± 7.2 kg, 168.4 ± 7.9 cm, 20.3 ± 1.5 yrs) volunteered to take part in this study. Data for this study were collected over the course of 16 weeks during the 2018 NCAA women’s soccer season. External load and heart rate (HR) data were collected during each training session and match during the season. At least 30 min after the end of an activity (e.g., match or practice), athletes were prompted to complete a questionnaire reporting their perceived exertion for the session. sRPE-TL was calculated at the end of the season by multiplying perceived exertion by the respective session duration. Results: sRPE-TL was very strongly correlated with total distance, distance covered in velocity zones 1–3, the number of accelerations in zones 4 and 5, total PlayerLoad™, and PlayerLoad™. For internal load, sRPE-TL correlated very strongly (0.70 ≤ |r| < 0.90) with Edward’s and Bannister’s TRIMP and strongly (0.50 ≤ |r| < 0.70) with duration spent in in heart rate zones 5 and 6 (80–90% and 90–100% max HR, respectively) while correlations with maximum HR (bpm), mean HR (bpm), and mean HR (%) and sRPE-TL were moderate (0.30 ≤ |r| < 0.50). Conclusions: In NCAA Division I women soccer, sRPE-TL is strongly associated with external measures of workload. These relationships were stronger during match play, with acceleration load and total distance exhibiting the strongest relationship with sRPE-TL.

scholarly journals Student-Athlete Development and Winning Success

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 36-48
Author(s):  
Sarah Stokowski ◽  
Amanda Paule-Koba ◽  
Andrew Rudd ◽  
Alex Auerbach
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Division I ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Strength And Conditioning ◽  
Athletic Program ◽  
Athletic Achievement

The success of an athletic program is often defined by wins and losses. According to the sporting success framework (De Bosscher et al., 2006) as well as the athlete development literacy (ADL) model (Livengood et al., 2015), athlete development contributes to athletic achievement. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between athlete development personnel resources and winning success at NCAA Division I institutions. A total of 150 universities were included in this study. Utilizing the ADL model (Livengood et al. 2015) of personal and player development literacies, athletic department personnel selected for this study included: academic advisors, athletic trainers, doctors, learning specialists, nutritionists, mental health professionals, physical therapists, sport psychologists, as well as strength and conditioning coaches. Winning success was measured using the final 2017-18 Learfield IMG Directors’ Cup standings (Directors’ Cup, 2019). The results suggest that athletic trainers, learning specialists, and sport psychologists significantly contribute to winning success. As such, athletic departments should appropriately invest in athlete development specialists.

scholarly journals Hip and Groin Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Soccer Players

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 232596711989232
Author(s):  
Bridget Ralston ◽  
Jaymeson Arthur ◽  
Justin L. Makovicka ◽  
Jeff Hassebrock ◽  
Sailesh Tummala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Injury Rate ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Event Type ◽  
Time Loss ◽  
Strength And Conditioning ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
System Program

Background: Hip and groin injuries are common in competitive soccer players and have been shown to be significant sources of time loss. There are few studies describing the epidemiology of hip and groin injuries in female National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) soccer players. Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of hip and groin injuries in women’s collegiate soccer players. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: The NCAA Injury Surveillance System/Program (ISS/ISP) was analyzed from 2004 through 2014 for data related to hip and groin injuries in female collegiate soccer players. Injuries and athlete-exposures (AEs) were reported by athletic trainers. Data were stratified by time of season, event type, injury type, treatment outcome, time loss, and player field position. Results: Between 2004 and 2014, there were 439 recorded hip or groin injuries in female soccer players and an overall rate of injury of 0.57 per 1000 AEs. Injuries were 12.0 times more likely to occur during the preseason (4.41/1000 AEs) as opposed to during the regular season (0.37/1000 AEs) (injury rate ratio [IRR], 12.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.92-14.55) or postseason (0.38/1000 AEs) (IRR, 11.55; 95% CI, 7.06-18.91). Rates of injury were similar during the regular season and postseason (IRR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.59-1.58). Rates of injury were higher during competition (0.69/1000 AEs) than during practice (0.52/1000 AEs) (IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.08-1.63). Most injuries were new (87.5%; n = 384) and unlikely to recur (12.5%; n = 55). Conclusion: Hip and groin injuries in female NCAA soccer players are uncommon, and fortunately, most players return to play quickly without recurrence. Future prospective studies should evaluate the effectiveness of strength and conditioning programs in preventing these injuries.

scholarly journals Distance and Intensity Profiles in Division I Women’s Soccer Matches across a Competitive Season

Sports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Mario Norberto Sevilio de Oliveira Junior ◽  
Christiano Eduardo Veneroso ◽  
Guilherme Passos Ramos ◽  
Kelly E. Johnson ◽  
Justin P. Guilkey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Average Distance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Physiological Demands ◽  
Playing Time

Women’s participation in soccer has increased rapidly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological demands imposed on women’s NCAA Division I soccer players across a season according to speed, total distance traveled, and numbers of sprints measured via GPS (Polar Team Pro®). Eighteen athletes (19.2 ± 1.1 years, 50.5 ± 6.5 mL/kg/min and 23.4 ± 3.6% fat) participated in this study. The analysis was obtained through 13 official matches. Speed zones were defined as Zone 1 (1.0 to 5.99 km·h−1), Zone 2 (6.0 to 10.99 km·h−1), Zone 3 (11.0 to 15.49 km·h−1), Zone 4 (15.5 to 19.9 km·h−1) and Zone 5 (sprint > 20 km·h−1), with Zones 4–5 considered as high intensity running. Individual differences in playing time and total distance were highly variable due to substitutions. Average distance traveled per game in quartiles was 3.9 km, 5.6 km and 7.4 km in the 25th, 50th, and 75th quartiles, respectively. Relative to playing time, players travelled an average of 113.64 ± 17.12 m/min (range: 93.7 to 143.5 m/min) and ran one sprint every 4.12 ± 2.06 min. When distance was summated and analyzed for the entire team, significant difference between halves was found for speed Zones 2, 3 and 4, with greater values found in the first half. Total distance, high intensity running and sprint distance were significantly less than previously recorded in professional players. These findings suggest that coaches should consider the unique physiological demands and recovery opportunities present in NCAA play when constructing practices and conditioning programs.

scholarly journals Effect of Achilles Tendon Repair on Performance Outcomes After Return to Play in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Basketball Athletes

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 232596712110152
Author(s):  
Rafael Sanchez ◽  
Blake H. Hodgens ◽  
Joseph S. Geller ◽  
Samuel Huntley ◽  
Jonathan Kaplan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Surgical Repair ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Division I ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Basketball Players ◽  
Significant Drop

Background: Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures are devastating injuries that are highly prevalent among athletes. Despite our understanding of the effect of AT rupture and in particular its relationship to basketball, no study has examined the effects of AT rupture and repair on performance metrics in collegiate basketball players. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of AT rupture and subsequent surgical repair on performance metrics in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball players who return to play after injury. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: NCAA Division I basketball players who sustained an AT rupture and underwent subsequent surgical repair between 2000 and 2019 were identified by systematically evaluating individual injury reports from databases comprising NCAA career statistics and individual school statistics; 65 male and 41 female players were identified. Athletes were included if they participated in at least one-half of the games of 1 collegiate season before tearing the AT and at least 1 season after operative repair. A total of 50 male and 30 female athletes were included. Each injured athlete was matched to a healthy control by conference, position, starter status at time of injury, class year, and number of games played. Matched controls were healthy players and experienced no significant injuries during their NCAA careers. Results: After AT repair, male athletes had significantly more minutes per game, points per game, and compared with before injury. Total blocks significantly decreased after injury. Female athletes scored significantly more points per game but demonstrated a significantly lower 3-point shooting percentage after return to play. Despite undergoing AT rupture and repair, 14% of male players played in the National Basketball Association, and 20% of injured female athletes played in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Conclusion: After returning to play, men demonstrated a significant drop-off in performance only in regard to total blocks. Female athletes after AT repair demonstrated a significant improvement in points per game but had a significant drop-off in 3-point shooting percentage.

scholarly journals National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletic Trainers' Concussion-Management Practice Patterns

2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 665-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassandra C. Kelly ◽  
Erin M. Jordan ◽  
A. Barry Joyner ◽  
G. Trey Burdette ◽  
Thomas A. Buckley
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Examination ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Practice Patterns ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Division I ◽  
Concussion Management ◽  
Consensus Statements

Context: A cornerstone of the recent consensus statements on concussion is a multifaceted concussion-assessment program at baseline and postinjury and when tracking recovery. Earlier studies of athletic trainers' (ATs') practice patterns found limited use of multifaceted protocols; however, these authors typically grouped diverse athletic training settings together. Objective: To (1) describe the concussion-management practice patterns of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ATs, (2) compare these practice patterns to earlier studies, and (3) objectively characterize the clinical examination. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Online survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 610 ATs from NCAA Division I institutions, for a response rate of 34.4%. Main Outcome Measure(s): The survey had 3 subsections: demographic questions related to the participant's experiences, concussion-assessment practice patterns, and concussion-recovery and return-to-participation practice patterns. Specific practice-pattern questions addressed balance, cognitive and mental status, neuropsychological testing, and self-reported symptoms. Finally, specific components of the clinical examination were examined. Results: We identified high rates of multifaceted assessments (ie, assessments using at least 3 techniques) during testing at baseline (71.2%), acute concussion assessment (79.2%), and return to participation (66.9%). The specific techniques used are provided along with their adherence with evidence-based practice findings. Respondents endorsed a diverse array of clinical examination techniques that often overlapped objective concussion-assessment protocols or were likely used to rule out associated potential conditions. Respondents were cognizant of the Third International Consensus Statement, the National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement, and the revised NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook recommendations. Conclusions: Athletic trainers in NCAA Division I demonstrated widespread use of multifaceted concussion-assessment techniques and appeared compliant with recent consensus statements and the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook.

Regular- and postseason comparisons of playing time and measures of running performance in NCAA Division I women soccer players

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 907-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Wells ◽  
Jay R. Hoffman ◽  
Kyle S. Beyer ◽  
Mattan W. Hoffman ◽  
Adam R. Jajtner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Division I ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Running Performance ◽  
Transient Motion ◽  
Absolute Time ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Playing Time

The management of playing time in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) soccer athletes may be a key factor affecting running performance during competition. This study compared playing time and running performance between regular-season and postseason competitions during a competitive women’s soccer season. Nine NCAA Division I women soccer players (age, 21.3 ± 0.9 years; height, 170.3 ± 5.7 cm; body mass, 64.0 ± 5.8 kg) were tracked using portable GPS devices across 21 games during a competitive season (regular season (n = 17); postseason (n = 4)). Movements on the field were divided into operationally distinct thresholds defined as standing/transient motion, walking, jogging, low-speed running, moderate-speed running, high-speed running, sprinting, low-intensity running, and high-intensity running. A significant increase in minutes played (+17%, p = 0.010) was observed at postseason compared with the regular season. Concomitant increases in time spent engaged in low-intensity running (LIR: +18%, p = 0.011), standing/transient motion (+35%, p = 0.004), walking (+17%, p = 0.022), distance covered while walking (+14%, p = 0.036), and at low intensity (+11%, p = 0.048) were observed. Performance comparisons between the first and second half within games revealed a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in high-speed and high-intensity runs during the second half of the postseason compared with the regular season. Changes in minutes played correlated significantly with changes in absolute time spent engaged in LIR (r = 0.999, p < 0.001), standing/transient motion (r = 0.791, p = 0.011), walking (r = 0.975, p = 0.001), jogging (r = 0.733, p = 0.025), distance covered while walking (r = 0.898, p < 0.001) and low-intensity activity (r = 0.945, p < 0.001). Negative correlations were observed between minutes played and absolute time sprinting (r = −0.698, p = 0.037) and distance covered sprinting (r = −0.689, p = 0.040). Results indicate that additional minutes played during the postseason were primarily performed at lower intensity thresholds, suggesting running performance during postseason competitions may be compromised with greater playing time in intercollegiate women’s soccer.

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