Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37022589›Full record

ArticleSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2023

Understanding Training Load as Exposure and Dose.

Franco M Impellizzeri, Ian Shrier, Shaun J McLaren, Aaron J Coutts, Alan McCall, Katie Slattery, Annie C Jeffries, Judd T Kalkhoven

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
55citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

55 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Dynamic Metabolic Changes Driven by Exercise Intensity in Acute Swimming.Medicine and science in sports and exercise · 2025
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  17. [Exercise Load Classification and Perceptual Difference Awareness Training Based on Exercise Load Entropy Theory in University Students].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Franco M ImpellizzeriFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia. Franco.Impellizzeri@uts.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-1703-2573
Ian ShrierCentre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Shaun J McLarenNewcastle Falcons Rugby Club, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Aaron J CouttsFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Alan McCallFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Katie SlatteryFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Annie C JeffriesFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Judd T KalkhovenFaculty of Health, Human Performance Research Centre, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Various terms used in sport and exercise science, and medicine, are derived from other fields such as epidemiology, pharmacology and causal inference. Conceptual and nomological frameworks have described training load as a multidimensional construct manifested by two causally related subdimensions: external and internal training load. In this article, we explain how the concepts of training load and its subdimensions can be aligned to classifications used in occupational medicine and epidemiology, where exposure can also be differentiated into external and internal dose. The meanings of terms used in epidemiology such as exposure, external dose, internal dose and dose-response are therefore explored from a causal perspective and their underlying concepts are contextualised to the physical training process. We also explain how these concepts can assist in the validation process of training load measures. Specifically, to optimise training (i.e. within a causal context), a measure of exposure should be reflective of the mediating mechanisms of the primary outcome. Additionally, understanding the difference between intermediate and surrogate outcomes allows for the correct investigation of the effects of exposure measures and their interpretation in research and applied settings. Finally, whilst the dose-response relationship can provide evidence of the validity of a measure, conceptual and computational differentiation between causal (explanatory) and non-causal (descriptive and predictive) dose-response relationships is needed. Regardless of how sophisticated or "advanced" a training load measure (and metric) appears, in a causal context, if it cannot be connected to a plausible mediator of a relevant response (outcome), it is likely of little use in practice to support and optimise the training process.

Indexed as

SportsCausalityExerciseHumans

Identifiers

PMID37022589
PMCPMC10432367

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.