No effect of a graded training programme on the number of running-related injuries in novice runners

▸ Buist I, Bredeweg SW, van Mechelen W, et al. Am J Sports Med 2008;36:33–9.

Background:

Distance running is associated with a risk of developing a running-related injury — risk factors for these injuries include training errors, with a rapid increase in running volume as a common “training error”.

Research questions/s:

Is a graded training programme for novice runners associated with a reduced risk of running injury when compared with a standard training programme?

Methodology:

Subjects: 352 injury-free (no injury in last 3 months) novice (no running in previous 12 months) runners (39.8 (SD 10.1) years, female = 57.5%) who were preparing for a recreational 6.7 km running event.

Experimental procedure: All the subjects underwent baseline assessment, and were then randomly (stratified for injury history, gender, sporting activity) assigned to either a standard 8 week training programme (CON = 268) or a graded, 13 week training programme (TR = 264, increasing training by no more than 10% per week — 10% rule). Subjects were followed for 8 and 13 weeks respectively, and running-related injuries (defined as any musculoskeletal complaint of the lower extremity or back causing a restriction of running for at least 1 week) as well as training hours were recorded using an internet-based system with email reminders.

Measures of outcome: Injuries per 1000 h running.

Main finding/s:

There was no significant difference in the incidence of running-related injuries between the …