The relationship between muscle injuries and load and running parameters in elite football players

Muscle injuries constitute a significant health concern in elite football, leading to substantial performance loss and prolonged absence from play as a result of increased high-intensity match and training loads. This study retrospectively investigated the association between training load, running performance parameters, and hamstring and calf muscle injuries in professional football players competing in the Turkish Super League. GPS-based external load metrics, including total running distance, speed zones, sprint count, acceleration–deceleration variables, and the acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR), were analyzed in 85 elite football players during the 2021–2024 seasons. Injury data were obtained from electronic medical records and verified through ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. According to the results, when total muscle injuries were examined collectively, a significantly lower risk of injury was observed in the high sprint-load group (OR=0.33; 95% CI: 0.12–0.94; p=0.037), whereas no statistically significant differences were identified in other load or running parameters (p>0.05). In the analysis specific to hamstring injuries, most parameters demonstrated no significant association. Conversely, for calf muscle injuries, a significantly higher risk of injury was observed in the low-load group for total running distance (OR=2.98; 95% CI: 1.01–8.84; p=0.048), high acceleration count (OR=3.34; 95% CI: 1.05–10.58; p=0.041), and distance covered at 20–25 km/h (OR=4.50; 95% CI: 1.21–16.78; p=0.025). These findings suggest that insufficient weekly loading may compromise eccentric capacity, reduce tendon–muscle unit resilience, and impair tissue adaptation processes—thereby increasing susceptibility to calf muscle injuries. In conclusion, while maintaining an adequate sprint load may exert a protective effect against muscle injuries, both overload and underload should be considered risk factors. GPS-based load monitoring and position-specific workload management represent essential strategies for predicting and preventing muscle injuries in elite football players.