The training-injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter and harder?

Gabbett TJ · British Journal of Sports Medicine

Injury risk rises when acute workload spikes well above the chronic workload an athlete is prepared for, while athletes accustomed to high chronic loads have fewer injuries — 'train harder AND smarter'.

Population

Team-sport and endurance athletes across workload-injury studies

Intervention

Rapid spikes in acute workload relative to chronic (rolling 4-week) workload

Comparator

Gradual, consistent load progression

Limitations

Narrative synthesis of observational team-sport data; injury endpoints are mostly soft-tissue, not cartilage-specific.