Advancements in sport technology have made quantifying match-play external load (e.g., total distance, sprint distance, number of sprints) a popular option for athletics personnel. These variables of volume and intensity are useful for both objectively monitoring training in field-based sports and for designing training programs. As physical abilities differ across playing levels, match-play demands likely also differ. This narrative review compiles and compares the match-play external load data for women’s soccer at the professional and collegiate levels. Databases were searched through July 2022, yielding 13 primary articles that assessed the match-play demands of women’s soccer (3 professional, 8 Division I, 1 Division II, and 1 Division III). The results indicate that the average total distance covered were similar between the professional, Division I and Division III levels, but the variability was greater among Division III compared to professional and Division I players. Data for Division II are scarce, but the total distance covered appears to be less than for professional, Division I and Division III. There was also large variability for sprint distance and number of sprints across data at all playing levels. Considering the lack of studies of Division II and Division III players, more research is necessary to determine how playing level may affect external load profiles, as isolated studies likely only reflect data from isolated teams.

Return to performance (RTP) protocols vary greatly between sports due to energy system involvement, physical and biomechanical skills, injury type and severity, and varied recommendations from members of the interprofessional care team. Return decisions are guided by clinical reasoning, expert opinion, experience, and sport-specific frameworks. Lower extremity injuries that prevent athletes from continuous aerobic training lead to decreased aerobic capacity upon return, which is linked to increased risk of injury or reinjury. This narrative review compares documented rehabilitation programs and RTP protocols and criteria specific to aerobic capacity for athletes who sustain lower extremity injuries in highly aerobic sports. Databases were searched from 2010 to 2022, yielding 9 primary articles and 11 review articles. No RTP protocol specific to aerobic capacity was identified. Considering the lack of evidence regarding aerobic capacity testing and prescription in RTP protocols, research is necessary to determine the significance of aerobic capacity recommended for RTP. Strength and conditioning coaches should be aware of the decreased aerobic capacity at the time of return, thus the need for additional testing, and implement individualized aerobic conditioning programs to optimize return. .