ECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP17
INTRODUCTION: Sprint distance is a key indicator of high external load in football [1], closely linked to injury risk and decisive match events [2]. However, commonly used fixed absolute thresholds misrepresent individual sprint exposure [3]. Normalizing sprint detection to maximal sprinting speed (MSS) improves individualization but may underestimate sprint exposure by excluding its acceleration phase [4]. Incorporating individual acceleration–speed profiles (ASP) may address this limitation by additionally accounting for accelerated sprinting [5]. However, it remains unclear whether these methods yield significantly different sprint exposure metrics during match play. Therefore, this study compared absolute, MSS-normalized, ASP-based, and combined thresholds (ASP+MSS) for quantifying sprint distance and sprint events during elite football matches. METHODS: Eighteen elite male football players from a club competing in the Slovenian First Division and UEFA Conference League were monitored across 158 match observations (3–16 matches per player; >80 min played) during the 2025/2026 season. Speed, acceleration, and distance were collected using a GNSS device. MSS and ASP were defined using rolling match maximum values. Sprint distance and sprint events were calculated using: (a) absolute threshold >25 km·h-1 (ABS); (b) speed >90% MSS (N-MSS); (c) acceleration >90% ASP at lower speeds (N-ASP); and (d) a combined MSS+ASP approach (COM). Values were averaged across matches per player. Methods were compared using RM-ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc tests, and associations were assessed using Pearson’s r. RESULTS: ABS, N-MSS, N-ASP, and COM calculated 114.7±44.7, 24.7±8.1, 46.5±12.8, and 63.9±12.8 m of sprint distance, and detected 9.2±2.9, 2.4±0.7, 14.5±3.4, and 15.2±3.3 sprint events, respectively. A significant effect of method was found for sprint distance (F=56.8; p<0.001) and sprint events (F=118.4; p<0.001). ABS yielded greater sprint distance than N-MSS (MD=91.4 m), N-ASP (MD=50.4 m), and COM (MD=50.4 m). N-MSS showed lower sprint distance compared to N-ASP (MD=-21.8 m) and COM (MD=-39.1 m). Sprint events were fewer with N-MSS than ABS (MD=-6.9), N-ASP (MD=-12.1) and COM (MD=-12.8). Conversely, N-ASP and COM detected more sprint events than ABS (MD=5.3 and MD=5.9). Sprint distance correlated between ABS, N-MSS and COM (r=0.51–0.66), whereas N-ASP correlated only with COM (r=0.83). Sprint events correlated between ABS and N-MSS (r=0.61) and between N-ASP and COM (r=0.99). CONCLUSION: Absolute thresholds substantially overestimate sprint distance, whereas MSS-normalized thresholds may underestimate sprint exposure. Incorporating ASP (N-ASP or COM) identifies additional sprint distance and sprint events and may provide a more meaningful representation of sprint-related external load for individualized monitoring and injury-risk management. [1] Gualtieri 2023; [2] Vermeulen 2024; [3] Pimenta 2024; [4] Pimenta 2025; [5] Miguens 2024
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