Injuries in youth track and field are perceived to have multiple‐level causes that call for ecological (holistic‐developmental) interventions: A national sporting community perceptions and experiences

Abstract

Engaging in competitive sports as a youth can have many health benefits, but recent studies also report a high risk for injury. The long-term purpose of this Swedish research program is to develop a framework for safe track and field training for young athletes (aged 12-15 years). The aim of this study was to establish what is perceived to contribute and cause injuries in youth track and field by compiling the best available experiential knowledge about the underlying factors and use this knowledge to identify appropriate areas to handle these in practical ways. Nine focus group interviews with in total 74 participants and confirming interviews with five individuals were performed in seven Swedish regions. Qualitative research methods were used for data analysis. Injuries in youth athletes were not considered to be strictly the result of individual factors but rather the result of the interactions between factors at different levels. Three major factors emerged as follows: Insufficient knowledge for athletic development in daily practice; shortsighted communities of practice and sports policies not adjusted to youth; and societal health behaviors. The experiential knowledge in the national sporting community suggests that if effective and sustainable injury prevention processes are to be implemented for youth track and field, an ecological (holistic-developmental) approach to injury prevention is needed. Such an approach allows a longitudinal development-focused strategy for prevention that spans an athlete's entire career.

Skeletal maturation and growth rates are related to bone and growth plate injuries in adolescent athletics

“…Training interruptions due to injury or illness lower the chances of reaching high levels of performance substantially, and therefore, better knowledge about injury risk factors and preventative strategies should be of interest to all invested parties. Still, confusion among coaches and parents on how to effectively and safely train growing children has been perceived as one of the important contributing factors to injuries in athletics …”

“…Still, confusion among coaches and parents on how to effectively and safely train growing children has been perceived as one of the important contributing factors to injuries in athletics. 3 Growth and maturation are potential risk factors, unique to the adolescent population. Growth rate is used to describe changes in a physical dimension over a given time and it is typically assessed through anthropometric measures such as stature, body mass, or limb lengths.…”

Developing web‐based health guidance for coaches and parents in child athletics (track and field)

“…It has been suggested that whether a sport organization has a proactive or reactive attitude toward health questions has decisive influence on young sportspeople long‐term progress in settings with high demands on athletic performance 2 . Current research also suggests that a reflective and holistic approach is beneficial for successfully developing talent and to maintain athlete health in child sport 3‐5 . The reason put forward is that due to growth and maturation, children are particularly susceptible to issues associated with their musculo‐skeletal system, hormonal regulation, and psychological makeup when exercising 6 .…”

“…A dynamic and strongly interactive approach is therefore required when planning and providing support to talented young sportspeople. In the child athletes’s environment, coaches and parents are the people having the best possibilities to influence a child athlete's development 5 …”

“…Knowledge about health guidance for coaches and parents who support talented child athletes is scarce. The long‐term purpose of an ongoing participatory research program, involving researchers and representatives from various levels of Swedish Athletics, is to develop a safe and sustainable training framework for child athletics athletes 5 . The aim of this study was to develop health guidance for coaches and parents involved in child athletics by providing practical advice and tools in the management of the most common health problems experienced in the sport by 12‐ to 15‐year olds.…”