Table 1

Summary of studies published since 2014 that have documented the loading profiles which contribute to increased injury risk in athletes

ReferenceLoading profile contributing to increased injury risk
Rapid increases in workload*High and low ACWRHigh CWLLow CWL
Bowen et al 57 ++
Caparrós et al 94 +
Carey et al 56 +
Colby et al 48 +
Colby et al 71 +
Colby et al 93 +
Cross et al 58 +++
Delecroix et al 66 ++
Duhig et al 69 +
Ehrmann et al 59 +
Fanchini et al 63 +
Harrison and Johnston50 ++
Hulin et al 43 ++
Hulin et al 61 ++
Hulin et al 62 ++
Jaspers et al 67 +
Malisoux et al 92 +
Malone et al 47 ++
Malone et al 54 ++
Malone et al 55 +
Malone et al 84 +++
Malone et al 86 +
McCall et al 64 +
McCall et al 65 ++
Møller et al 51 +
Murray et al 44 ++
Murray et al 45 ++
Murray et al 52 +
Murray et al 89 +
Sampson et al 68 ++
Stares et al 46 +
Stares et al 88 ++
Veugelers et al 91 +
von Rosen et al 35 +
Warren et al 60 ++
Watson et al 53 +
Windt et al 90 +
Weiss et al. 49 +

  • *Includes rapid increases in acute load, large week to week changes in load and high acute:chronic workload ratios.

  • Rapid increases in acute load defined as statistically significant differences in prior daily load between injured and non-injured groups.53 Large week to week changes in load defined as statistically significant differences in weekly load compared with 1-year59 or 2-year seasonal69 average, a 2 SD increase in weekly load,58 or >15% change in weekly load.50 High acute:chronic workload ratios (ACWR) defined as an ACWR>1.00,35 >1.09,60 >1.18,67 >1.20,63 >1.23,61 >1.30,57 66 68 84 >1.38,64 >1.40,56 >1.50,43 65 >1.60,51 >1.70,65 >2.00,43–45 89>2.11,62 and >75th percentile rank.47 55

  • CWL, chronic workload.