Controlled ecological evaluation of an implemented exercise-training programme to prevent lower limb injuries in sport : Population-level trends in hospital-treated injuries
- Authors: Finch, Caroline , Gray, Shannon , Akram, Muhammad , Donaldson, Alex , Lloyd, David , Cook, Jill
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 53, no. 8 (2019), p. 487-492
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- Description: Objective Exercise-training programmes have reduced lower limb injuries in trials, but their population-level effectiveness has not been reported in implementation trials. This study aimed to demonstrate that routinely collected hospital data can be used to evaluate population-level programme effectiveness. Method A controlled ecological design was used to evaluate the effect of FootyFirst, an exercise-training programme, on the number of hospital-treated lower limb injuries sustained by males aged 16-50 years while participating in community-level Australian Football. FootyFirst was implemented with a € support' (FootyFirst+S) or a € without support' (FootyFirst+NS) in different geographic regions of Victoria, Australia: 22 clubs in region 1: FootyFirst+S in 2012/2013; 25 clubs in region 2: FootyFirst+NS in 2012/2013; 31 clubs region 3: control in 2012, FootyFirst+S in 2013. Interrupted time-series analysis compared injury counts across regions and against trends in the rest of Victoria. Results After 1 year of FootyFirst+S, there was a non-statistically significant decline in the number of lower limb injuries in region 1 (2012) and region 3 (2013); this was not maintained after 2 years in region 1. Compared with before FootyFirst in 2006-2011, injury count changes at the end of 2013 were: region 1: 20.0% reduction (after 2 years support); region 2: 21.5% increase (after 2 years without support); region 3: 21.8% increase (after first year no programme, second year programme with support); rest of Victoria: 12.6% increase. Conclusion Ecological analyses using routinely collected hospital data show promise as the basis of population-level programme evaluation. The implementation and sustainability of sports injury prevention programmes at the population-level remains challenging.
Epidemiology of hospital-treated cricket injuries sustained by women from 2002-2003 to 2013-2014 in Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Perera, Nirmala , Kemp, Joanne , Joseph, Corey , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 11 (Nov 2019), p. 1213-1218
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- Description: Objectives: To present the first comprehensive epidemiological profile of hospital-treated injuries sustained by female cricketers from 2002-2003 to 2013-2014 in Victoria, Australia. Design: Analysis of routinely collected hospital data (detailed case-series). Methods: A retrospective analysis of hospital-treatment data associated with cricket injuries sustained by women between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2014, inclusive were extracted from databases held by the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit in Australia. Results: Over the 12-year period, 668 cases were treated in Victoria. Of these, 547 were emergency department (ED)-presentations. There were 121 hospital-admissions, of which, the length of stay was <2 days for 78.5% cases. All cases were treated and released, and no fatalities were reported. The 10-14 year age group most frequently presented to ED (19.9%) and were most commonly admitted to hospital (16.5% of the total admissions). Fractures were the most common cause of hospital-admissions (47.1%) but only accounted for 17.2% of the ED-presentations. Dislocations, sprains and strains, were the most common (36.4%) cause of ED-presentations. The head was the most commonly injured anatomical location (27.8% of ED-presentations and 28.1% of hospital-admissions), followed by the wrist and hand (27.8% ED-presentations and 17.4% hospital-admissions). Conclusions: These findings provide the first overview of the nature of injuries requiring hospital attendance in female cricketers, and a foundation to inform the development of targeted injury prevention programs for female cricketers. (C) 2019 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Infographic : We have the programme, what next? Developing a plan of action to implement injury prevention exercise programmes in community sport
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree , Donaldson, Alex , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British journal of sports medicine Vol. 52, no. 22 (2018), p. 1419-1420
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- Description: Exercise programmes to prevent injuries, such as lower-limb injuries that are common in community Australian Football
Injuries in Australian rules football : An overview of injury rates, patterns, and mechanisms across all levels of play
- Authors: Saw, Richard , Finch, Caroline , Samra, David , Baquie, Peter , Cardoso, Tanusha , Hope, Danielle , Orchard, John
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sports Health Vol. 10, no. 3 (2018), p. 208-216
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- Description: Context: The nature of Australian rules football (Australian football) predisposes both unique and common injuries compared with those sustained in other football codes. The game involves a combination of tackling, kicking, high-speed running (more than other football codes), and jumping. Two decades of injury surveillance has identified common injuries at the professional level (Australian Football League [AFL]). Objective: To provide an overview of injuries in Australian rules football, including injury rates, patterns, and mechanisms across all levels of play. Study Design: A narrative review of AFL injuries, football injury epidemiology, and biomechanical and physiological attributes of relevant injuries. Results: The overall injury incidence in the 2015 season was 41.7 injuries per club per season, with a prevalence of 156.2 missed games per club per season. Lower limb injuries are most prevalent, with hamstring strains accounting for 19.1 missed games per club per season. Hamstring strains relate to the volume of high-speed running required in addition to at times having to collect the ball while running in a position of hip flexion and knee extension. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are also prevalent and can result from contact and noncontact incidents. In the upper limb, shoulder sprains and dislocations account for 11.5 missed games per club per season and largely resulted from tackling and contact. Concussion is less common in AFL than other tackling sports but remains an important injury, which has notably become more prevalent in recent years, theorized to be due to a more conservative approach to management. Although there are less injury surveillance data for non-AFL players (women, community-level, children), many of these injuries appear to also be common across all levels of play. Clinical Relevance: An understanding of injury profiles and mechanisms in Australian football is crucial in identifying methods to reduce injury risk and prepare players for the demands of the game. © 2017,
The fallacy of amelioration: Thinking through knowledge translation in sport and exercise medicine
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree , Paliadelis, Penny , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Translational sports medicine Vol. 1, no. 4 (2018), p. 166-171
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Knowledge Translation, as a component of implementation science, has seen extensive popularization in Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) over recent years. However, in seeking better and more influential outcomes, much of SEM appears to be following Knowledge Translation fashion and fad, over ensuring function and form. This has meant that key concepts in Knowledge Translation have been conflated, the work oversimplified, and potential outcomes overhyped. In this manuscript, Knowledge Translation is, first, defined as a process. Next, we show how oversimplified versions of Knowledge Translation rely on the “fallacy of amelioration,” with problematic consequences and unintended outcomes. Finally, we move to rethinking Knowledge Translation in SEM by showing how the field can move forward through embracing Knowledge Translation as a complex process to maximize the influence and impact of its work.
A call to capture fatalities in consensus statements for sports injury/illness surveillance
- Authors: Fortington, Lauren , Kucera, Kristen , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Editorial
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 51, no. 14 (2017), p. 1052-1053
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A framework for the etiology of running-related injuries
- Authors: Bertelsen, Michael , Hulme, Adam , Petersen, Jesper , Brund, Rene , Sørensen, Henrik , Finch, Caroline , Parner, Erik , Nielsen, Rasmus
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Vol. 27, no. 11 (2017), p. 1170-1180
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- Description: The etiology of running-related injury is important to consider as the effectiveness of a given running-related injury prevention intervention is dependent on whether etiologic factors are readily modifiable and consistent with a biologically plausible causal mechanism. Therefore, the purpose of the present article was to present an evidence-informed conceptual framework outlining the multifactorial nature of running-related injury etiology. In the framework, four mutually exclusive parts are presented: (a) Structure-specific capacity when entering a running session; (b) structure-specific cumulative load per running session; (c) reduction in the structure-specific capacity during a running session; and (d) exceeding the structure-specific capacity. The framework can then be used to inform the design of future running-related injury prevention studies, including the formation of research questions and hypotheses, as well as the monitoring of participation-related and non-participation-related exposures. In addition, future research applications should focus on addressing how changes in one or more exposures influence the risk of running-related injury. This necessitates the investigation of how different factors affect the structure-specific load and/or the load capacity, and the dose-response relationship between running participation and injury risk. Ultimately, this direction allows researchers to move beyond traditional risk factor identification to produce research findings that are not only reliably reported in terms of the observed cause-effect association, but also translatable in practice. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Back to basics with some new tools : First ensure the safety of sporting environments
- Authors: Finch, Caroline , Brown, James , Readhead, Clint , Lambert, Mike , Viljoen, Wayne
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Editorial
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 51, no. 15 (2017), p. 1109-1110
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Closing Pandora's Box : Adapting a systems ergonomics methodology for better understanding the ecological complexity underpinning the development and prevention of running-related injury
- Authors: Hulme, Adam , Salmon, Paul , Nielsen, Rasmus , Read, Gemma , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science Vol. 18, no. 4 (2017), p. 338-359
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- Description: The popularity of running as a form of exercise continues to increase dramatically worldwide. Alongside this participation growth is the burden of running-related injury (RRI). Over the past four decades, traditional scientific research applications have primarily attempted to isolate discrete risk factors for RRI using observational study designs as commonly used in public health epidemiology. Unfortunately, only very few randomised controlled trials have evaluated the efficacy associated with a well-specified RRI prevention intervention. Even though the knowledge about risk factors as generated in observational studies is valuable for better understanding why RRI develops, it nonetheless means that there remains a major knowledge gap about how best to prevent it, especially in a way that fully addresses all causal factors. Alongside the continuing use of traditional scientific approaches, a particular systems ergonomics methodology should also be considered in light of its potential to visualise the complete distance running system. This article adapts the Systems Theoretic Accident Mapping and Processes (STAMP) model to the RRI research prevention context. The direct application of STAMP might offer new knowledge about how to prevent RRI, such as exposing questions around the feasibility of adopting novel injury prevention interventions that do not directly target runners themselves. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Intervention strategies used in sport injury prevention studies : A systematic review identifying studies applying the Haddon matrix
- Authors: Vriend, Ingrid , Gouttebarge, Vincent , Finch, Caroline , van Mechelen, Willem , Verhagen, Evert
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 47, no. 10 (2017), p. 2027-2043
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- Description: Background: Prevention of sport injuries is crucial to maximise the health and societal benefits of a physically active lifestyle. To strengthen the translation and implementation of the available evidence base on effective preventive measures, a range of potentially relevant strategies should be considered. Objective: Our aim was to identify and categorise intervention strategies for the prevention of acute sport injuries evaluated in the scientific literature, applying the Haddon matrix, and identify potential knowledge gaps. Methods: Five electronic databases were searched (PubMed, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Cochrane) for studies that evaluated the effect of interventions on the occurrence of acute sport injuries. Studies were required to include a control group/condition, prospective data collection, and a quantitative injury outcome measure. Results: A total of 155 studies were included, mostly randomised controlled trials (43%). The majority of studies (55%) focussed on strategies requiring a behavioural change on the part of athletes. Studies predominantly evaluated the preventive effect of various training programmes targeted at the ‘pre-event’ phase (n = 73) and the use of equipment to avoid injury in the ‘event phase’ (n = 29). A limited number of studies evaluated the preventive effect of strategies geared at rules and regulations (n = 14), and contextual modifications (n = 18). Studies specifically aimed at preventing re-injuries were a minority (n = 8), and were mostly related to ankle sprains (n = 5). Conclusions: Valuable insight into the extent of the evidence base of sport injury prevention studies was obtained for 20 potential intervention strategies. This approach can be used to monitor potential gaps in the knowledge base on sport injury prevention. © 2017, The Author(s).
The translation of sports injury prevention and safety promotion knowledge : Insights from key intermediary organisations
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree , Paliadelis, Penny , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health Research Policy and Systems Vol. 15, no. 1 (2017), p. 1-9
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565907
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: Background: A recognised research-to-practice gap exists in the health research field of sports injury prevention and safety promotion. There is a need for improved insight into increasing the relevancy, accessibility and legitimacy of injury prevention and safety promotion research knowledge for sport settings. The role of key organisations as intermediaries in the process of health knowledge translation for sports settings remains under-explored, and this paper aims to determine, and describe, the processes of knowledge translation undertaken by a set of key organisations in developing and distributing injury prevention and safety promotion resources. Methods: The National Guidance for Australian Football Partnerships and Safety (NoGAPS) project provided the context for this study. Representatives from five key NoGAPS organisations participated in individual face-to-face interviews about organisational processes of knowledge translation. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used to analyse participants' descriptions of knowledge translation activities undertaken at their respective organisations. Results: Several themes emerged around health knowledge translation processes and considerations, including (1) identifying a need for knowledge translation, (2) developing and disseminating resources, and (3) barriers and enablers to knowledge translation. Conclusions: This study provides insight into the processes that key organisations employ when developing and disseminating injury prevention and safety promotion resources within sport settings. The relevancy, accessibility and legitimacy of health research knowledge is foregrounded, with a view to increasing the influence of research on the development of health-related resources suitable for community sport settings. © 2017 The Author(s).
Whose research agenda is it? Reconciling the views of researchers and sports stakeholders
- Authors: Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Editorial
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 51, no. 1 (2017), p. 3-4
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: It is now widely recognised that it is important to involve a full range of stakeholders and other research end-users, from the outset when designing and implementing prevention programmes. As long ago as 2003, my team recognised that the views of those actively involved in sport should also be considered when setting research priorities. Findings from our survey of coaches and sports administrators have since informed the direction of much of our sports injury research over the following decade in community Australian Football. There will be similar examples from other sports, even if they have not been formally documented in the sports medicine literature.
Sports Injury Surveillance Systems : A Review of Methods and Data Quality
- Authors: Ekegren, Christina , Gabbe, Belinda , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 46, no. 1 (2016), p. 49-65
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565907
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: Background and Aims: Data from sports injury surveillance systems are a prerequisite to the development and evaluation of injury prevention strategies. This review aimed to identify ongoing sports injury surveillance systems and determine whether there are gaps in our understanding of injuries in certain sport settings. A secondary aim was to determine which of the included surveillance systems have evaluated the quality of their data, a key factor in determining their usefulness. Methods: A systematic search was carried out to identify (1) publications presenting methodological details of sports injury surveillance systems within clubs and organisations; and (2) publications describing quality evaluations and the quality of data from these systems. Data extracted included methodological details of the surveillance systems, methods used to evaluate data quality, and results of these evaluations. Results: Following literature search and review, a total of 15 sports injury surveillance systems were identified. Data relevant to each aim were summarised descriptively. Most systems were found to exist within professional and elite sports. Publications concerning data quality were identified for seven (47 %) systems. Validation of system data through comparison with alternate sources has been undertaken for only four systems (27 %). Conclusions: This review identified a shortage of ongoing injury surveillance data from amateur and community sport settings and limited information about the quality of data in professional and elite settings. More surveillance systems are needed across a range of sport settings, as are standards for data quality reporting. These efforts will enable better monitoring of sports injury trends and the development of sports safety strategies. © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
The delivery of injury prevention exercise programmes in professional youth soccer : Comparison to the FIFA 11
- Authors: O'Brien, James , Young, Warren , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 20, no. 1 (2016), p. 26-31
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: OBJECTIVES: Injury prevention exercise programmes for amateur soccer have gained considerable attention, but little is known about their relevance and adaptability to professional soccer settings. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes used by professional youth soccer teams, compared to the industry standard injury prevention exercise programme for soccer, the Federation Internationale de Football Association's FIFA 11+. The second aim was to document specific challenges to implementing injury prevention exercise programmes in this context. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. METHODS: The participants were soccer coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists (n=18) from four teams in a professional youth soccer academy. Each team's chosen injury prevention exercise programmes were observed weekly across an entire soccer season (160 sessions). The delivery and content of the programmes were documented on a standardised worksheet and compared to the FIFA 11+. Specific implementation challenges were recorded. RESULTS: Fitness coaches were the primary deliverers of injury prevention exercise programmes, with support from physiotherapists. Multiple delivery formats and locations were employed, along with the extensive use of equipment. Across all injury prevention exercise programme sessions, a median of one FIFA 11+ exercise was performed in its original form and a further four in a modified form. Implementation challenges included poor staff communication, competing training priorities and heavy game schedules. CONCLUSIONS: Although the basic components of the FIFA 11+ hold relevance for professional youth male teams, the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes require considerable tailoring for this context. Recognising this will inform the development of improved, context-specific injury prevention exercise programmes, along with corresponding strategies to enhance their implementation.
Concussion in community Australian football - epidemiological monitoring of the causes and immediate impact on play
- Authors: Fortington, Lauren , Twomey, Dara , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Epidemiology Vol. 2, no. 1 (2015), p. 1-6
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
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- Description: BACKGROUND: Head injuries, particularly concussion, are a major cause of concern in many sports, particularly the football codes, driving a need to better understand injury mechanisms and potential methods of prevention. The aim of this study was to describe the mechanisms and follow up care of concussion injuries sustained in adult male community Australian football to identify target areas for prevention and management. METHODS: Secondary analysis of injury data collected in a cluster randomised controlled trial in community Australian football across two states of Australia in 2007 and 2008. There were 1564 players from 18 clubs. The main outcome measures were the number and rate of head/neck/face (HNF) injuries and concussion sustained in games. A specific description of the mechanisms of the concussion injuries is presented along with the immediate return-to-play status of concussion cases. RESULTS: 143 HNF injuries were sustained by 132 players. The game HNF injury incidence was 4.9 per 1000 game hours (n = 138; 95 % confidence interval 4.1; 5.7). Just under a quarter (n = 34) of all HNF injuries were recorded as concussion. All concussions occurred during games (none in training), with all but one related to body contact with other players. Overall, 68 % of the concussions were considered within game rules, while 32 % were either outside of the rules or unclear. Most (88 %) players left the field immediately following concussion but 47 % later returned to play in the same game. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention strategies for concussion need to be based on knowledge of the mechanisms of injury. Most concussions in community Australian football occurred through body contact with other players or during tackling. Management of players post-concussion was generally poor with over half of the cases continuing to play in the same game. Therefore, new primary prevention strategies that target body-contact/tackling skills and improved secondary prevention measures relating to compliance with return-to-play protocols would be valuable.
OARSI Clinical Trials Recommendations : Design and conduct of clinical trials for primary prevention of osteoarthritis by joint injury prevention in sport and recreation
- Authors: Emery, Carolyn , Roos, Ewa , Verhagen, Evert , Finch, Caroline , Bennell, Kim , Spindler, Kurt , Kemp, Joanne , Lohmander, Stefan
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Osteorthritis and Cartilage Vol. 23, no. 5 (2015), p. 815-825
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- Description: The risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) substantially increases following joint injury. Research efforts should focus on investigating the efficacy of preventative strategies in high quality randomized controlled trials (RCT). The objective of these OARSI RCT recommendations is to inform the design, conduct and analytical approaches to RCTs evaluating the preventative effect of joint injury prevention strategies. Recommendations regarding the design, conduct, and reporting of RCTs evaluating injury prevention interventions were established based on the consensus of nine researchers internationally with expertise in epidemiology, injury prevention and/or osteoarthritis (OA). Input and resultant consensus was established through teleconference, face to face and email correspondence over a 1 year period. Recommendations for injury prevention RCTs include context specific considerations regarding the research question, research design, study participants, randomization, baseline characteristics, intervention, outcome measurement, analysis, implementation, cost evaluation, reporting and future considerations including the impact on development of PTOA. Methodological recommendations for injury prevention RCTs are critical to informing evidence-based practice and policy decisions in health care, public health and the community. Recommendations regarding the interpretation and conduct of injury prevention RCTs will inform the highest level of evidence in the field. These recommendations will facilitate between study comparisons to inform best practice in injury prevention that will have the greatest public health impact.
The causes of injuries sustained at fitness facilities presenting to Victorian emergency departments - identifying the main culprits
- Authors: Gray, Shannon , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Epidemiology Vol. 2, no. 1 (2015), p. 1-8
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- Description: BACKGROUND: Fitness facilities provide an avenue to engage in physical activity, which is widely encouraged to improve health. However, there is risk of injury. This study aimed to identify the specific causes of injuries sustained at fitness facilities and the activity being participated in, to aid in the development of injury prevention strategies. METHODS: Analysis of routinely collected emergency department case-series data were obtained from July 1999 to June 2013. Fitness activity-related injury cases were identified from narratives of injury events, with narrative information recoded into cause of injury and activity at time of injury categories. Recoded data were then analysed. RESULTS: Overall, 2,873 cases were identified that specified the exact cause of injury associated with injuries that occurred at fitness facilities. Injuries due to overexertion were most common overall (36.2% of all cases), as well as the main cause of injuries related to general free weight activities (52.6% of this activity) and group exercise classes (35.9%). Crush injuries due to falling weights were common for all free weight activities. Falls and awkward landings were common causes of injuries during group exercise classes (28.5% and 25.8%, respectively). Trips and falls were common throughout facilities, as well as from cardiovascular equipment more specifically. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed information on the causes of injuries allows the development of injury prevention strategies for fitness facilities and fitness activities. Facilities should implement risk management strategies to reduce the risk of injuries in their clientele, based on the identified major causes of injury in this study.
Changes in muscle activation following balance and technique training and a season of Australian football
- Authors: Donnelly, Cyril , Elliott, Bruce , Doyle, Tim , Finch, Caroline , Dempsey, Alasdair , Lloyd, David
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 18, no. 3 (2014), p.348-352
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
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- Description: Objectives: Determine if balance and technique training implemented adjunct to 1001 male Australian football players' training influenced the activation/strength of the muscles crossing the knee during pre-planned and unplanned sidestepping. Design: Randomized Control Trial. Methods: Each Australian football player participated in either 28 weeks of balance and technique training or 'sham' training. Twenty-eight Australian football players (balance and technique training, n = 12; 'sham' training, n = 16) completed biomechanical testing pre-to-post training. Peak knee moments and directed co-contraction ratios in three degrees of freedom, as well as total muscle activation were calculated during pre-planned and unplanned sidestepping. Results: No significant differences in muscle activation/strength were observed between the 'sham' training and balance and technique training groups. Following a season of Australian football, knee extensor (p = 0.023) and semimembranosus (p = 0.006) muscle activation increased during both pre-planned sidestepping and unplanned sidestepping. Following a season of Australian football, total muscle activation was 30% lower and peak valgus knee moments 80% greater (p = 0.022) during unplanned sidestepping when compared with pre-planned sidestepping. Conclusions: When implemented in a community level training environment, balance and technique training was not effective in changing the activation of the muscles crossing the knee during sidestepping. Following a season of Australian football, players are better able to support both frontal and sagittal plane knee moments. When compared to pre-planned sidestepping, Australian football players may be at increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury during unplanned sidestepping in the latter half of an Australian football season.
Ground condition as a risk factor in sports injury aetiology studies : the level of concordance between objective and subjective measures
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Orchard, John , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Epidemiology Vol. 1, no. 1 (2014), p.1-7
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Full Text: false
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- Description:
BACKGROUND:It is well known that the condition and type of sporting ground influences the risk of sports injury. However, the lack of evidence on the relationship between subjective and objective sporting ground condition assessments in sports injury aetiology studies has implications for the development of effective injury prevention strategies. This paper aims to examine concordance between subjectively rated and objective ground hardness and moisture measurements to inform data collection methods for future sports injury aetiology studies. METHODS:Subjective, observational assessments of ground hardness and soil moisture were recorded on 36 occasions during an Australian football season using two four-point scales of 'very soft' to 'very hard' and 'very wet' to 'very dry', respectively. Independent, objectively measured hardness and soil moisture were also undertaken at nine locations on the same grounds. The maximum and minimum ground values and the computed average of ground hardness and soil moisture were analysed. Somer's d statistic was calculated to measure the level of concordance between the subjective and objective measures. RESULTS:A significant, moderate to substantial level of agreement was found between the subjective ratings and the average objective hardness values (d = 0.467, p <0.001), but there was perfect agreement on just less than half of the occasions. The level of concordance between the subjective and objective moisture ratings was low to moderate or trivial for all moisture measures (0.002
0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Compared to objective measures, the subjective assessments were more accurate for ground hardness than for soil moisture levels and raters were just as likely to underestimate or overestimate the condition under review. This has implications for future sports injury aetiology studies that include ground condition assessments and particularly the use of subjective measures to underpin the development of future injury prevention strategies.
Sports Injuries
- Authors: Joseph, Corey , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Reference Module in Biomedical Research p.
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Sport is a common context for injury. It is the most common reason for hospital-treated injury in adolescents and young adults and there is some evidence that injury rates at the population level are increasing. Sports injuries can occur to participants across all forms of sport ranging from elite/professional sport to competitive sport in clubs/colleges/schools to school sport to a range of fitness and physical activity programs usually undertaken for health and social reasons. Over recent years, evidence has accumulated that the majority of these injuries should be preventable if sports injury interventions are successfully implemented. The challenge remains to demonstrate the effectiveness of many sports injury interventions in appropriate real-world settings and to better understand the drivers and barriers to sports injury prevention implementation efforts. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.