Return to play in elite rugby union: application of global positioning system technology in return-to-running programs.

Unlabelled: Global positioning systems (GPS) are widely used in sport settings to evaluate the physical demands on players in training and competition. The use of these systems in the design and implementation of rehabilitation and return-to-running programs has not yet been elucidated.

Objective: To demonstrate the application of GPS technology in the management of return to play in elite-club Rugby Union.

Reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy for determining muscle oxygen saturation during exercise.

Near-infrared spectroscopy is currently used to assess changes in the oxygen saturation of the muscle during exercise. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy in determining muscle oxygen saturation (StO2) in the vastus lateralis during cycling and the gastrocnemius during running for exercise intensities at lactate threshold and maximal effort. Test-retest reliability was determined from an intraclass correlation coefficient obtained from a one-way analysis of variance.