Preseason Aerobic Capacity Is an Independent Predictor of In-Season Injury in Collegiate Soccer Players

PURPOSE: To determine whether preseason aerobic capacity is independently associated with in-season injury among collegiate soccer players. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: University athletic department. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-three NCAA Division I soccer athletes (male = 23). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Gender and preseason lean body mass (LBM), body fat percentage (BF%), and maximal aerobic capacity (VCombining Dot AboveO2max). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-season injuries were recorded during the season, and body composition and fitness variables were compared between injured and uninjured players. Multivariate regression models were developed to predict injury during the entire season and during the first 4 weeks of the season. RESULTS: Thirty-five injuries among 25 players were recorded during the season. Players injured at any point during the season had lower VCombining Dot AboveO2max (57.7 vs 63.4 mL·kg·min, P = 0.014) and Tmax (15.8 vs 17.2 minutes, P = 0.035), compared with uninjured players, but no differences were noted in age, gender, LBM, or BF%. Players injured during the first 4 weeks of the season had lower LBM (49.7 vs 56.0 kg, P = 0.038) and Tmax (15.1 vs 16.7 minutes, P = 0.043) than uninjured players. For injuries occurring throughout the entire season, VCombining Dot AboveO2max was an independent predictor of injury (P = 0.043), whereas gender, LBM, and BF% were not. During the first 4 weeks of the season, VCombining Dot AboveO2max (P = 0.035) and LBM (P = 0.049) were related to injury, whereas gender and BF% were not. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic fitness is an independent predictor of in-season injury. Early-season injuries are related to aerobic fitness and LBM. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Efforts to increase aerobic capacity and LBM among soccer players in the off-season may help reduce in-season injury.