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

DESIGN: Observational study.

SETTING: We performed this study during three outdoor rehabilitation sessions.

PARTICIPANTS: Nine amateur soccer players recovering from lower limb injury participated in our 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), TRIMP(MOD) (r = 0.07) and distance (r = 0.26).

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