An investigation into training load and health for Track and Field National Team throwing events.

Abstract

Varala high performance training centre in Tampere have a collaboration project with Finnish athletics federation, Finnish Olympic committee, Tampere research centre of sports medicine and KIHU Finnish Institute of high-performance sport to investigate Finnish national team throwers interactions between training load and health. This is a high-level content call for evidence-based data to help develop innovations for the sport disciplines that will utilise a monitoring system for high level athletes. The need for this development comes from the coaches and experts as a part of the ring sports development programme (TKI-Toiminta Tukee Harjoittelun Seurantaa Rinkilajeissa, 2022). The purpose was to investigate the interactions of training load and health. A reliable training monitoring system was implemented through the Champions corner application, where the Oslo sports trauma research centre health 2 questionnaire (OSTRC-H2) and a wellness questionnaire was integrated. The data collected included training data statistics, questionnaire results (Clarsen et al., 2020; Champions corner, n.d.; Hooper & Mackinnon, 1995). The data collection period was between September-December 2022 for 14 weeks. Acute chronic workload ratio was used to analyse the results. The results have shown there was a correlation between health and training load in acute training load, chronic loading, strength volume and throwing volume. Group 1 (no injury or illness) had clear strength volumes difference and stated a higher better chronic loading pattern. Group 2 (had an injury or illness) results stated clear excessive spikes and drops in training load which corresponded to a report of illness within a 4-week period. There were throwing volume differences between the groups. There was limited evidence of adapted training load when an illness was reported, therefore there was a clear need for return to play protocols for illnesses. A huge benefit was simply the amount of data collected as currently there are no evidence based normative data for these throwing disciplines in one repetition maximums (1RM) or throwing volumes. Therefore, this study has taken a first step into incorporating more data that is sport skill specific and strength. It is important to bridge the gap between coaching and physiotherapy so that health and training are more intertwined. This is the first evidence-based research that is a positive step in developing Finland’s Track and Field throwing disciplines for the future.