@article {Duhig1536, author = {Steven Duhig and Anthony J Shield and David Opar and Tim J Gabbett and Cameron Ferguson and Morgan Williams}, title = {Effect of high-speed running on hamstring strain injury risk}, volume = {50}, number = {24}, pages = {1536--1540}, year = {2016}, doi = {10.1136/bjsports-2015-095679}, publisher = {British Association of Sport and Excercise Medicine}, abstract = {Background Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) are common within the Australian Football League (AFL) with most occurring during high-speed running (HSR). Therefore, this study investigated possible relationships between mean session running distances, session ratings of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and HSIs within AFL footballers.Methods Global positioning system (GPS)-derived running distances and s-RPE for all matches and training sessions over two AFL seasons were obtained from one AFL team. All HSIs were documented and each player{\textquoteright}s running distances and s-RPE were standardised to their 2-yearly session average, then compared between injured and uninjured players in the 4 weeks (weeks -1, -2, -3 and -4) preceding each injury.Results Higher than {\textquoteleft}typical{\textquoteright} (ie, z=0) HSR session means were associated with a greater likelihood of HSI (week -1: OR=6.44, 95\% CI=2.99 to 14.41, p\<0.001; summed weeks -1 and -2: OR=3.06, 95\% CI=2.03 to 4.75, p\<0.001; summed weeks -1, -2 and -3: OR=2.22, 95\% CI=1.66 to 3.04, p\<0.001; and summed weeks -1, -2, -3 and -4: OR=1.96, 95\% CI=1.54 to 2.51, p\<0.001). However, trivial differences were observed between injured and uninjured groups for standardised s-RPE, total distance travelled and distances covered whilst accelerating and decelerating. Increasing AFL experience was associated with a decreased HSI risk (OR=0.77, 95\% CI 0.57 to 0.97, p=0.02). Furthermore, HSR data modelling indicated that reducing mean distances in week -1 may decrease the probability of HSI.Conclusions Exposing players to large and rapid increases in HSR distances above their 2-yearly session average increased the odds of HSI. However, reducing HSR in week -1 may offset HSI risk.}, issn = {0306-3674}, URL = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/24/1536}, eprint = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/24/1536.full.pdf}, journal = {British Journal of Sports Medicine} }