Epidemiology of Pediatric Sport Injuries reviews integratively the existing data on distribution and determinants of injury rates in a variety of sports, and suggests injury prevention measures and guidelines for further research. This volume focuses on individual sports, as the next volume will discuss team sports. Together the two volumes provide the first comprehensive compilation and critical analysis of epidemiological data over a wide range of children’s and youth sports. In this volume, the reader will find information on individual sports such as Equestrian, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Skiing and Snowboarding, Tennis, Wrestling as well as Track and Field injuries. All the sports-specific chapters are laid out with the same basic headings, so that it is easy to find common information across chapters. The section headings include: incidence of injury; injury characteristics; injury severity; injury risk factors and suggestions for injury prevention and further research.
Sports scientists and healthcare professionals will find this publication useful in identifying areas in which appropriate preventive measures can be initiated to reduce the risk and severity of injury. It encourages coaches and sports administrators to discuss rules, equipment standards, techniques, and athlete conditioning programs. In turn, they can inform parents about the risks and how they can help their children avoid or limit injury in sports.
179 - 200: Injury Prevention and Future Research
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Published:2005
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Book Set: Medicine and Sport Science (Vol. 48+49) (Print) , Medicine and Sport Science (Vol. 48+49) (Online)Topic Article Package: Topic Article Package: Sports MedicineBook Series: Medicine and Sport Science
Carolyn A. Emery, 2005. "Injury Prevention and Future Research", Epidemiology of Pediatric Sports Injuries: Individual Sports, D.J. Caine, N. Maffulli
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Abstract
Objectives: To critically examine and summarize the literature identifying risk factorsand prevention strategies for injury in child and adolescent sport. Data Sources: Sevenelectronic databases were searched including: Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing andAllied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychinfo, Cochrane Database for Systematic andComplete Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, HealthSTAR and SPORTDiscus.Medical subject headings and text words included: athletic injury, sport injury, risk factors,adolescent and child. Additional articles were reviewed based on sport-specific contributionsin the previous chapters of this book. Main Results: Despite the diversity of injuriesoccurring in various pediatric sporting populations, the uniformity with respect to many ofthe risk factors identified in the literature is noteworthy (i.e. previous injury, age, sportspecificity, psychosocial factors, decreased strength and endurance). The literature is significantlylimited with respect to the prospective evaluation of risk factors and preventionstrategies for injury in pediatric sport. The consistencies, however, between the adultand pediatric literature are encouraging with respect to prevention strategies involvingneuromuscular training programs (i.e. balance training programs) to reduce lower extremityinjuries in some sports and the use of sport-specific protective equipment (i.e. helmets).Conclusions: Notwithstanding the limitations in the literature, the successful evaluationof some sport-specific prevention strategies to reduce injury in pediatric sport is encouraging.There is significant opportunity to methodologically improve upon the currentpediatric sport injury literature in descriptive surveillance research, risk factor evaluationresearch, and prevention research. There is a need for prospective studies, ideally randomizedcontrolled trials, in the evaluation of prevention strategies in pediatric sport. Theintegration of basic science, laboratory and epidemiological research is critical in evaluatingthe mechanisms associated with injury and injury prevention in pediatric sport.Finally, long-term studies are needed to identify the public health impact of pediatric sportinjury.