When a participant signs a pre-participation agreement they verify that they have been informed of potential risks, understand the demands this activity will require, and comprehend the types of injuries that may occur as a result of participation. With an average reading level of 8th grade, however, most American adults are no match for the vocabulary included in most risk management forms. As a result, it is imperative that health, physical education, recreation and sport professionals assess the readability level of such documents before utilization. Once the readability level of a document has been determined, this level can be compared with the estimated literacy rate of participants, and pre-participation instruction regarding the inherent risks associate with the activity can be enhanced.