Abstarct: Background: Volleyball involves repetitive explosive and overhead movements that impose significant mechanical stress on shoulder structures. Poor management of "training load" and inadequate "recovery status" are primary risk factors for overuse injuries; however, localized evidence within the Iraqi athletic population remains scarce. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the independent relationship between training load (acute, chronic, and acute-to-chronic workload ratio) and recovery status with shoulder injury risk in Iraqi volleyball plaxyers. Methods: A descxriptive-correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 volleyball plaxyers (aged 18–35 years) competing at various levels in Iraq. Internal training load was calculated using the Session-RPE method, and the Acute-to-Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR) was derived. Recovery quality was assessed using the Total Quality Recovery (TQR) scale, and shoulder injury history was evaluated via the OSTRC-O2 questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and binary logistic regression at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Results: All four study hypotheses were confirmed. Recovery status (p=0.001, OR=0.70) and chronic training load (p=0.004, OR=0.99) demonstrated a significant inverse, protective relationship with shoulder injury risk. Conversely, acute training load (p=0.002) and particularly ACWR (p=0.001, OR=17.12) showed a strong direct association with increased injury risk. These relationships remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Conclusion: Continuous monitoring of training load and recovery status serves as an effective, practical tool for shoulder injury prevention. Maintaining ACWR within the safe zone (0.8–1.3), avoiding sudden load spikes, and implementing targeted recovery protocols are essential strategies to reduce injury incidence among Iraqi volleyball plaxyers.