Greater Association of Relative Thresholds Than Absolute Thresholds With Noncontact Lower-Body Injury in Professional Australian Rules Footballers: Implications for Sprint Monitoring.

Sprint capacity is an important attribute for team-sport athletes, yet the most appropriate method to analyze it is unclear. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between sprint workloads using relative versus absolute thresholds and lower-body soft-tissue and bone-stress injury incidence in professional Australian rules football. METHODS: Fifty-three professional Australian rules football athletes' noncontact soft-tissue and bone-stress lower-body injuries (N = 62) were recorded, and sprint workloads were quantified over ∼18 months using the global positioning system. Sprint volume (m) and exposures (n) were determined using 2 methods: absolute (>24.9 km·h-1) and relative (≥75%, ≥80%, ≥85%, ≥90%, ≥95% of maximal velocity). Relationships between threshold methods and injury incidence were assessed using logistic generalized additive models. Incidence rate ratios and model performances' area under the curve were reported. RESULTS: Mean (SD) maximal velocity for the group was 31.5 (1.4), range 28.6 to 34.9 km·h-1. In comparing relative and absolute thresholds, 75% maximal velocity equated to ~1.5 km·h-1 below the absolute speed threshold, while 80% and 85% maximal velocity were 0.1 and 1.7 km·h-1 above the absolute speed threshold, respectively. Model area under the curve ranged from 0.48 to 0.61. Very low and very high cumulative sprint loads ≥80% across a 4-week period, when measured relatively, resulted in higher incidence rate ratios (2.54-3.29), than absolute thresholds (1.18-1.58). DISCUSSION: Monitoring sprinting volume relative to an athlete's maximal velocity should be incorporated into athlete monitoring systems. Specifically, quantifying the distance covered at >80% maximal velocity will ensure greater accuracy in determining sprint workloads and associated injury risk.

Building without a plan: the career experiences of Australian strength and conditioning coaches.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the career experiences of Australian strength and conditioning coaches. Six Australian strength and conditioning coaches (mean age = 33.7 years, SD = 6.0 years) with a mean of 10.4 (SD = 4.9) years experience working with elite Olympic and professional athletes were interviewed about their experiences of career development. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed to produce key themes and subthemes relating to (a) work environments, (b) sport management practice, (c) career development processes, and (d) career building strategies. The work environments of Australian strength and conditioning coaches were found to be poor because of long working hours and irregular human resource policy and management practices of sport organizations. Because of the volatile and unpredictable nature of their working conditions, the coaches interviewed have only a short-term view of their career creating considerable stress in their lives. The coaches interviewed found it difficult to develop their careers because their only options were self-supported and self-funded professional development activities. The coaches in this study believed that more needed to be done at a policy and management level by sport organizations and their professional body to enhance the career development of strength and conditioning coaches because they play a key role in both athlete and sport organization performance. These results may help sport organizations develop policies and management practices that enhance the careers of strength and conditioning coaches and will have important practical implications for the education and development of sport professionals.