11 Dec College Athletes Get Injured During Practice Not Just in Competition
Dr. Zachary Kerr
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, MPH
Sports Injury Epidemiologist
Director, NCAA Injury Surveillance Program
Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Kerr: The NCAA Injury Surveillance Program has been ongoing since 1982, but the Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention began management in 2009. We provide the NCAA sports and medical committees with evidence-based data they can use to make rule and policy decisions aimed at student-athlete health and safety. However, among the research community, there lacks current injury incidence data across the collegiate student-athlete population.
The main findings of this study is that the rate of injury was higher in competitions than in practices. However, the total number of injuries estimated in practices exceeds that of competition, which suggests that interventions should be aimed at reducing injury incidence in both practices and competitions.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Kerr: These data will help clinicians determine the sports in most need of resource allocation in terms of athletic trainer and physician support. These data will also help to identify sports most in need of future clinical research aimed at risk factor identification and intervention.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Kerr: Although researchers discuss differences between competitions and practices, little research has yet to examine variations of “intensity” within these event types. Quantifying the intensity both across and within competitions and practices is an important research opportunity that could aid the development of injury prevention interventions that aim to reduce the incidence and severity of injury.
Citation:
College Sports–Related Injuries — United States, 2009–10 Through 2013–14 Academic Years
December 11, 2015 / 64(48);1330-6
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Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, MPH (2015). College Athletes Get Injured During Practice Not Just in Competition MedicalResearch.com
Last Updated on December 11, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD