Influence of Education on Awareness of Sports Specialization and Injury Prevention Recommendations among Health Care Providers

Authors

Shelly Fetchen DiCesaro, University of PittsburghFollow
Eric Post, United States Olympic and Paralympic CommitteeFollow
Tamara Valovich McLeod, A.T. Still UniversityFollow
Traci Snedden, University of Wisconsin - MadisonFollow
Denise Mohrbacher, University of Wisconsin - MadisonFollow
David Bell, University of Wisconsin - MadisonFollow
Tracy Zaslow, Cedars-Sinai Kerlan JobeFollow

Abstract

Background: Sport specialization has been linked with overuse injury in youth sports, leading to the development of specific recommendations to reduce injury risk. However, the incorporation of these recommendations into formal educational and professional development of healthcare providers (HCP), and their effectiveness for raising HCP awareness of this topic, is unknown. Objective: To determine associations between formal education or professional development regarding overuse injury prevention and awareness of current recommendations among HCPs caring for youth athletes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional design using an online survey to assess HCP awareness of sports specialization recommendations pertaining to focused sport and participation volume. Emails were sent to 15313 HCPs, with the survey accessed by 810 respondents (access rate=5.2%) and 806 HCPs were included in the analysis (female N=453, 56.4%, mean age: 39.9±11.2 years old). Participants included 378 (46.9%) athletic trainers (AT), 123 (15.3%) nurse practitioners (NP), 36 (4.5%) physical therapists (PT), and 269 (33.4%) physicians (PHYS). Participants self-reported whether they received training on prevention of overuse injuries during their formal education and if they had completed any professional development regarding overuse injury prevention. Results: Participants who received formal training during their professional education were more likely to report awareness of recommendations regarding months per year of single sport participation, maximum hours per week of organized sport participation, and simultaneous participation on multiple teams. Participants who reported completing professional development were more likely to report being aware of recommendations regarding months per year of single sport participation, maximum hours per week of organized sport participation, and simultaneous participation on multiple teams. Conclusion: HCPs who received training on overuse injury prevention during formal education or continuing professional development were more likely to be aware of overuse injury prevention recommendations compared with those who did not.

Author Bio(s)

Shelly Fetchen DiCesaro PhD, LAT. ATC is an Associate Professor of Athletic Training in the Sports Medicine and Nutrition Department at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a board certified athletic trainer licensed in Pennsylvania

Eric Post, PhD, ATC, is the Manager of the Sports Medicine Research Laboratory with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. He is also an instructor within the Master of Science in Athletic Training program at Indiana State University.

Tamara Valovich McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAK, FNAP, is the John B. Wood D.O. Endowed Chair for Sports Medicine and a Professor and Director of A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences’ (ATSU-ASHS) Athletic Training program.

David Bell PhD, ATC is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Kinesiology and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin – Madison

Traci R. Snedden PhD, RN, CPNP, CNE, FNAP, is a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is also a certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the state of Wisconsin.

Denise Mohrbacher, BS, is an Epidemiology PhD student at the University of Wisconsin- Madison.

Tracy Zaslow MD is a primary care sports medicine physician and a board-certified pediatrician at Cedars Sinai Kerlan Jobe . She also serves as the team physician for the Angel City Football Club (NWSL) and LA Galaxy.

Acknowledgements

Authors are members of the PRiSM Sports Specialization Research Interest Group.

Recommended Citation

Fetchen DiCesaro S, Post E, Valovich McLeod T, Snedden T, Mohrbacher D, Bell D, et al. Influence of Education on Awareness of Sports Specialization and Injury Prevention Recommendations among Health Care Providers. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2024 Mar 22;22(2), Article 20.