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Original article
Robust Exponential Decreasing Index (REDI): adaptive and robust method for computing cumulated workload
  1. Issa Moussa1,2,
  2. Arthur Leroy1,
  3. Guillaume Sauliere1,
  4. Julien Schipman1,
  5. Jean-François Toussaint1,3,
  6. Adrien Sedeaud1
  1. 1 IRMES, Institut National du Sport de l'Expertise et de la Performance, Paris, France
  2. 2 IRMES EA 7329, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
  3. 3 Centre d’Investigations en Médecine du Sport, Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique, Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France
  1. Correspondence to Issa Moussa; issa.moussa{at}insep.fr

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to define a new index the Robust Exponential Decreasing Index (REDI), which is capable of an improved analysis of the cumulative workload. This allows for precise control of the decreasing influence of load over time. Additionally, REDI is robust to missing data that are frequently present in sport.

Methods 200 cumulative workloads were simulated in two ways (Gaussian and uniform distributions) to test the robustness and flexibility of the REDI, as compared with classical methods (acute:chronic workload ratio and exponentially weighted moving average). Theoretical properties have been highlighted especially around the decreasing parameter.

Results The REDI allows practitioners to consistently monitor load with missing data as it remains consistent even when a significant portion of the dataset is absent. Adjusting the decreasing parameter allows practitioners to choose the weight given to each daily workload.

Discussion Computation of cumulative workload is not easy due to many factors (weekends, international training sessions, national selections and injuries). Several practical and theoretical drawbacks of the existing indices are discussed in the paper, especially in the context of missing data; the REDI aims to settle some of them. The decreasing parameter may be modified according to the studied sport. Further research should focus on methodology around setting this parameter.

Conclusion The robust and adaptable nature of the REDI is a credible alternative for computing a cumulative workload with decreasing weight over time.

  • training load
  • cumulated workload
  • missing data
  • index
  • monitoring

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000573

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    Data availability statement

    All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors IM, AL, GS and AS were involved in the design. AL, JS and IM simulated the data. AL refined the model. IM, AL, JS and GS interpreted the results. IM, AL, JS, JFT and AS contributed to the writing and revision of the manuscript. JFT and AS managed the conduction of the research. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.