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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Defining and quantifying fatigue in the rugby codes
PLoS One, Vol.18(3), pp.1-17
2023
PMID: 36897849
Abstract
The rugby codes (i.e., rugby union, rugby league, rugby sevens [termed 'rugby']) are team-sports that impose multiple complex physical, perceptual, and technical demands on players which leads to substantial player fatigue post-match. In the post-match period, fatigue manifests through multiple domains and negatively influences recovery. There is, however, currently no definition of fatigue contextualised to the unique characteristics of rugby (e.g., locomotor and collision loads). Similarly, the methods and metrics which practitioners consider when quantifying the components of post-match fatigue and subsequent recovery are not known. The aims of this study were to develop a definition of fatigue in rugby, to determine agreement with this common definition of fatigue, and to outline which methods and metrics are considered important and feasible to implement to quantify post-match fatigue. Subject matter experts (SME) undertook a two-round online Delphi questionnaire (round one; n = 42, round two; n = 23). SME responses in round one were analysed to derive a definition of fatigue, which after discussion and agreement by the investigators, obtained 96% agreement in round two. The SME agreed that fatigue in rugby refers to a reduction in performance-related task ability which is underpinned by time-dependent negative changes within and between cognitive, neuromuscular, perceptual, physiological, emotional, and technical/tactical domains. Further, there were 33 items in the neuromuscular performance, cardio-autonomic, or self-report domains achieved consensus for importance and/or feasibility to implement. Highly rated methods and metrics included countermovement jump force/power (neuromuscular performance), heart rate variability (cardio-autonomic measures), and soreness, mood, stress, and sleep quality (self-reported assessments). A monitoring system including highly-rated fatigue monitoring objective and subjective methods and metrics in rugby is presented. Practical recommendations of objective and subjective measures, and broader considerations for testing and analysing the resulting data in relation to monitoring fatigue are provided.
Details
- Title
- Defining and quantifying fatigue in the rugby codes
- Authors
- Mitchell Naughton (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyTannath Scott (Author) - Leeds Beckett UniversityDan Weaving (Corresponding Author) - Leeds Beckett UniversityColin Solomon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyScott McLean (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.18(3), pp.1-17
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0282390
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- PMID
- 36897849
- Copyright note
- © 2023 Naughton et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99716033502621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Sport Sciences