Table 4

 Number of training sessions and matches per week, and exposure to football per week during the last 10 weeks of the 2001–2002 season (March 2002 to 15 May 2002) compared with the first 36 weeks of the season (July 2001 to 28 February 2002)

Last 10 weeksFirst 36 weeks
Mean (SD)95% CIMean (SD)95% CIp Value
Training sessions/week (No/player)
    World Cup players4.0 (0.8)3.8 to 4.23.9 (0.8)3.7 to 4.1NS
    Non-World Cup players3.3 (1.8)3.1 to 3.63.8 (1.3)3.7 to 4.0<0.001
Matches/week (No/player)
    World Cup players1.12 (0.41)1.01 to 1.220.97 (0.28)0.90 to 1.04<0.01
    Non-World Cup players0.66 (0.50)0.59 to 0.730.72 (0.34)0.67 to 0.77<0.05
Exposure for training/week (hours/player)
    World Cup players5.1 (1.2)4.8 to 5.45.1 (1.0)4.8 to 5.3NS
    Non-World Cup players4.1 (2.3)3.8 to 4.44.8 (1.5)4.6 to 5.0<0.001
Exposure for matches/week (hours/player)
    World Cup players1.43 (0.65)1.27 to 1.601.24 (0.42)1.14 to 1.34<0.01
    Non-World Cup players0.79 (0.64)0.70 to 0.870.85 (0.45)0.79 to 0.91<0.05
Total exposure/week (hours/player)
    World Cup players6.5 (1.4)6.2 to 6.96.3 (1.2)6.0 to 6.6NS
    Non-World Cup players4.9 (2.8)4.5 to 5.35.6 (1.8)5.4 to 5.9<0.001