Effectiveness of daily subjective wellness measurements via mobile applications in predicting perceived exertion and training load

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of presession subjective wellness, measured by a mobile application, in predicting the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and training load for collegiate female soccer players throughout all training sessions of a competitive season. Thirty-three training sessions over 10 weeks involving 23 subjects were analyzed. Before each training session, players self-reported wellness measurements (sleep quality, stress, mood, soreness, fatigue, and sleep duration) through a mobile application questionnaire. Training load (active time, distance, GPS session load, and sprint score) was measured by GPS. RPE was self-reported immediately after training sessions. Generalized estimating equations found that presession wellness scores had a significant effect on postsession RPE. A 1 point increase in the wellness score corresponded with a significant increase in RPE (β= 0.48, 95% CI (0.05–0.91), p= 0.029). Wellness component of mood had a significant effect on RPE as noted by a 1 SD increase that corresponded to an increase in RPE (β= 0.19, 95% CI (0.07–0.30), p= 0.001). Psychosocial component of wellness (mood) played the most influential role in predicting RPE. The results suggest that monitoring student-athlete wellness may be helpful in regulating player internal load, and increasing player mood may also lower internal load.