Yulingga Nanda Hanief1, Sri Sumartiningsih1, Setya Rahayu1, Karol Jaskulski2, Hadi1, Abi Fajar Fathoni1, Zackary S. Cicone3, Raja Mohammed Firhad Raja Azidin4, Awang Firmansyah5
1State University of Semarang, Faculty of Sports Science, Department of Sport Education, Semarang, Indonesia
2Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
3The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, United States
4MARA University of Technology, Shah Alam, Malaysia
5State University of Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
Wearable-Monitored External Workload (GPS/GNSS/IMU) and Lower-Limb Muscle Injuries in Football: A Systematic Review and Exploratory Data Synthesis
Sport Mont 2026, 24(1), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/smj.260219
Abstract
Lower-limb muscle injuries are common in football and are often linked to fluctuations in training load. Global Positioning System/Global Navigation Satellite System (GPS/GNSS) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) based monitoring of external workload is now routine, yet evidence for its association with injury risk remains inconsistent. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the relationship between GPS/IMU-derived workload variables and lower-limb muscle injuries in football players. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed and Scopus to September 2025. Eligible studies involved football players at any competitive level, reported GPS/IMU-based workload metrics, and included muscle-injury outcomes. Study quality was assessed with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis; however, only four studies provided extractable statistical data for quantitative pooling. These four studies contributed 21 independent effect-size comparisons, analysed as odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs). Workload definitions and thresholds varied substantially across studies—particularly speed zones, sprint metrics, and ACWR calculations—limiting direct comparability. The exploratory quantitative analysis of OR-based studies showed no significant association between high workload and injury risk (pooled OR=1.33, 95% CI 0.85–2.07; p=0.21; I²=93%). In contrast, the RR-based analysis indicated a significant association, with high workloads more than doubling injury risk (pooled RR=2.33, 95% CI 1.65–3.30; p<0.00001; I²=0%). Given the small number of extractable studies and substantial heterogeneity in workload definitions, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory rather than confirmatory. GPS/IMU-monitored external workload may be associated with muscle-injury risk, but the direction and magnitude depend on analytic approach and how “high workload” is operationalized. Larger, multi-club prospective studies with standardized workload definitions are needed to strengthen the evidence base.
Keywords
external workload, football, GPS monitoring, IMU monitoring, muscle injury, systematic review, meta-analysis
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