Training load characteristics and injury and illness risk identification in elite youth ski racing: A prospective study.

ABSTRACT Background The purpose was to investigate the role of training load characteristics and injury and illness risk in youth ski racing. Methods The training load characteristics as well as traumatic injuries, overuse injuries and illnesses of 91 elite youth ski racers (mean age, 12.1 ± 1.3 years) were prospectively recorded over a period of 1 season by using a sport-specific online database. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to monitor the influence of training load on injuries and illnesses. Differences in mean training load characteristics between preseason, in-season, and postseason were calculated using multivariate analyses of variance. Results Differences were discovered in the number of weekly training sessions (p = 0.005) between preseason (4.97 ± 1.57) and postseason (3.24 ± 0.71), in the mean training volume (p = 0.022) between in-season (865.8 ± 197.8 min) and postseason (497.0 ± 225.5 min) and in the mean weekly training intensity (Index) (p = 0.012) between in-season (11.7 ± 1.8) and postseason (8.9 ± 1.7). A total of 185 medical problems were reported (41 traumatic injuries, 12 overuse injuries, and 132 illnesses). The weekly training volume and training intensity was not a significant risk factor for injuries (p > 0.05). Training intensity was found to be a significant risk factor for illnesses in the same week (s = 0.348; p = 0.044; R² = 0.121) and training volume represents a risk factor for illnesses in the following week (s = 0.397; p = 0.027; R² = 0.157). Conclusion A higher training intensity and volume were associated with increased illnesses, but not with a higher risk of injury. Monitoring training and ensuring appropriate progression of training load between weeks may decrease incidents of illness in-season.