The Association between Training Frequency, Symptoms of Overtraining and Injuries in Young Men Soccer Players

Filipe Rodrigues, Diogo Monteiro, Ricardo Ferraz, Luís Branquinho and Pedro Forte ()
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Filipe Rodrigues: ESECS-Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
Diogo Monteiro: ESECS-Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
Ricardo Ferraz: Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences, and Human Development, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Luís Branquinho: Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences, and Human Development, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Pedro Forte: Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences, and Human Development, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 8, 1-8

Abstract: Overtraining is a prevalent issue among young men soccer players, particularly those who are driven to enhance their skills. While an intense training volume and effort might contribute to athletic growth, it can also have negative implications, including injury. The current study aimed at examining the association between training frequency, symptoms of overtraining and injuries in young men soccer players. A path analysis approach was used to examine the causal relationships between variables. The sample consisted of 189 young men soccer players aged 13–17 years old (age = 14.81, SD = 1.37). Participants reported that they were training, on average, 5.77 days (SD = 1.53) per week. Athletes were competing at a regional (n = 100) or national (n = 89) level. Concerning injuries, participants indicated, on average, 2.03 (SD = 1.16) injuries since they started practicing soccer. The results displayed a significant association, as theoretically expected, namely: (i) training frequency was significantly associated with overtraining symptoms (β = 0.15 [IC95% = 0.01, 0.29]); (ii) overtraining symptoms were significantly associated with the number of injuries (β = 0.19 [IC95% = 0.02, 0.35]). An indirect effect between training frequency and injuries was also observed (β = 0.15 [IC95% = 0.01, 0.29]). Thus, there is preliminary evidence that overtraining symptoms could play a mediating role. In conclusion, investigating the links between overtraining symptoms and injury in young men soccer players is critical, as it can assist in identifying overtraining warning signs, promote young players’ health and safety, customize training regimens to individual needs, and contribute to a better understanding of sports-related injuries.

Keywords: sports; pedagogy; injury risk; physical health; overtraining (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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