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Int J Sports Med 2024; 45(02): 141-148
DOI: 10.1055/a-2184-9201
Behavioural Sciences

Youth Injury Knowledge and Beliefs following Neuromuscular Training Warm-up Implementation in Schools

Carly D McKay
1   Department for Health, Centre for Health and Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2   UK Collaborating Centre on Illness and Injury Prevention in Sport, Universities of Edinburgh and Bath, Bath, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
,
Carla A van den Berg 
3   Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
,
Rebecca A Marjoram
3   Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
,
Brent E Hagel
3   Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
4   Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
5   Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
6   O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
,
Carolyn A Emery
7   McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
› Author Affiliations Funding Information Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions — http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000145;
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Abstract

Neuromuscular training warm-up programs can reduce injury rates in youth sports, but they often have poor uptake and adherence. Delivering such programs in school physical education classes may provide greater public health benefit, particularly if they promote improved injury knowledge and prevention beliefs amongst students. The purpose of this secondary analysis of a large cluster-randomized controlled trial was to understand how students’ (age 11–15 years) knowledge and beliefs change after exposure to an evidence-informed neuromuscular training warm-up program. Six schools delivered the program for a 12-week period in the initial study year (n=566) and two continued to use it in a subsequent “maintenance” year (n=255). Students completed a knowledge and beliefs questionnaire at baseline, 6-week, and 12-week timepoints. Knowledge scores ranged from 7/10 to 8/10 at all timepoints and students generally believed that injuries are preventable. On average, there was less than a one-point change in knowledge between timepoints and there was no change in the median belief scores. There were no meaningful differences between sexes, grades, or previous injury. These findings highlight that knowledge and beliefs are unlikely to change passively through program exposure. More active strategies are needed to improve injury prevention perceptions in this population.

Key words

sport injury - prevention - youth - neuromuscular training - perceptions - knowledge

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 03 October 2022

Accepted: 04 September 2023

Article published online:
29 November 2023

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