Sport-Specific Outdoor Rehabilitation in a Group Setting: Do the Intentions Match Actual Training Load?

CONTEXT: Previous research has shown a weak relationship between intended and actual training load in various sports. Due to variety in group and content, this relationship is expected to be even weaker during group rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between intended and actual training load during sport-specific rehabilitation in a group setting.

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

Three outdoor rehabilitation sessions.

PARTICIPANTS

Nine amateur soccer players recovering from lower limb injury participated in the study (age 22 ± 3 y, height 179 ± 9 cm, body mass 75 ± 13 kg).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We collected physiotherapists' ratings of intended exertion (RIE) and players' ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Furthermore, Zephyr Bioharness 3 equipped with GPS-trackers provided heart rate and distance data. We computed heart rate-based training loads using Edwards' method and a modified TRIMP.

RESULTS

Overall, we found weak correlations (N = 42) between RIE and RPE (r = 0.35), Edwards' (r = 0.34), TRIMPMOD (r = 0.07), and distance (r = 0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

In general, physiotherapists tended to underestimate training loads. To check whether intended training loads are met, it is thus recommended to monitor training loads during rehabilitation.