Exploring the interplay of interpersonal and contextual dynamics in youth sports injuries: a comprehensive narrative review

Abstract

Injuries are recognised in sports and exercise medicine as not isolated incidents but complex outcomes. This is because an athlete’s health trajectory is understood to be shaped by dynamic, complex linkages between individual performance, biology, and the wider social and cultural contexts and systems in which individuals perform. Despite this recognition, little attention has been paid to how interpersonal and contextual dynamics can potentially affect the risk of injury by influencing the choices and decisions made by coaches, parents and athletes. To address this gap, this narrative review bridges insights from sociocultural studies in sports with the findings of sports injury research. The narrative review aims to identify and summarise how interpersonal and contextual dynamics influence the risk of youth sports injuries. The results reveal the pressures faced by athletes, often leading to compromised health. Moreover, the review underscores the importance of designing complex interventions and strategies to promote healthier practices in youth sports. Specifically, intervention programmes should prioritise raising awareness of injury risks, cultivating effective communication skills and fostering supportive training environments.