Differences In Conditioning Support By Team Size: Internet-based Survey Targeting Japanese Junior Rugby Players

Our research team has initiated an exploratory study to establish a conditioning support system for Japanese junior rugby players. In 2021, we surveyed the coaches and families of Japanese junior rugby players regarding conditioning support. In this Internet-based survey, we analyzed the association between the implementation status of conditioning support and team size. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the conditioning support and team sizes of Japanese junior rugby players. METHODS: In this web-based cross-sectional study, we recruited participants through snowball sampling, informed them about the URL to help access the survey screen, and asked them to respond. The implementation status for conditioning support comprised 14 categories: first aid; condition management and infectious disease control; anti-doping; medical check-up; strength training; injury prevention; rehabilitation for injury recovery; biomechanics; performance assessment; psychological; nutrition; sleep; countermeasures for heat, cold, and high altitude; and female-specific health problem. Team size was categorized into three groups according to the number of players in each team: ≤39, 40-79, and ≥ 80. RESULTS: The survey involved 751 participants (519 men) comprising 333 coaches (324 men), 305 families (85 men), and 113 participants in both roles (110 men). The number of participants in ≤39, 40-79, and ≥ 80 groups was 306, 201, and 244, respectively. The implementation status in the four categories (anti-doping, strength training, rehabilitation for injury recovery, and performance assessment) differed significantly among the teams, with smaller teams providing more conditioning support than larger teams (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the status of conditioning support differs depending on the team size. Considering team size (number of players) may be necessary to support more junior rugby players. Supported by: JSPS KAKENHI Grant