The Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio

The Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR) is a concept used to assess an individual's training load over time. It compares short-term workload (acute) to long-term workload (chronic) to gauge injury risk and performance levels. The "acute" refers to the last week of training, while the "chronic" represents the average training load over the past four weeks. A balanced ratio (usually around 1.0) suggests a healthy workload, while a high ratio may indicate increased injury risk due to suddenly intensified training. This metric helps athletes and coaches optimize performance while minimizing the likelihood of injuries.