The dose-response effects of aerobic exercise on musculoskeletal injury: a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial

In a post hoc analysis, we quantified the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) associated with different volumes of aerobic exercise in a randomized trial. Premenopausal women (n = 119) were randomized to one of three groups: low-dose aerobic exercise (150 min·per week), high-dose aerobic exercise (300 min·per week) or control (usual activity) for 5 months. Compared to the control group, the risk of reporting an acute MSI increased with higher volumes of aerobic exercise, with a similar pattern observed for recurrent MSI. The risk of reporting an MSI severe enough to impair activities of daily living did not increase with higher volumes of aerobic exercise. Approximately half of MSI were causally attributed to aerobic exercise. The risk of experiencing an acute or recurrent MSI increases with higher volumes of aerobic exercise; however, the risk of experiencing an MSI severe enough to impair activities of daily living does not increase with higher volumes of aerobic exercise.