Injuries in Swedish Youth Athletics. The KLUB-study.
Condition: Athletics Injuries
MeSH terms: Wounds and Injuries
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      It is well known that participation in sports activities as a youth has several health
      benefits, but at the same time, studies report that the risk is high to obtain injuries
      related to participation. There is, however, increasing evidence that many of these injuries
      can be prevented if necessary measures are taken. Prospective studies are therefore needed to
      be able to plan and carry out measures to prevent the occurrence of injuries. The overall aim
      of the project KLUB is to study the prevalence and incidence of injuries among athletics
      youths aged 12-15 years. A particular focus will be placed on identifying factors associated
      with injury occurrence.
    

Detailed description: 
      It is well known that participation in sports activities as a youth has several health
      benefits, but at the same time, studies report that the risk is high to obtain injuries
      related to participation. There is, however, increasing evidence that many of these injuries
      can be prevented if necessary measures are taken. So far, most studies examining sports
      injuries have been conducted on adult elite and among team sports, for example football, ice
      hockey and bandy. How injury patterns present in individual sports and among youth is not as
      well documented. A major problem in athletics is that studies have shown an almost identical
      prevalence and incidence of injury associated with athletics among both young and adult
      athletes.

      Today there are very few published studies on international incidence of injuries among
      adolescent athletes in athletics and no describing the incidence in Swedish Athletics. These
      studies have different study design, definitions of injury and rather small groups of
      athletes, making it difficult to draw conclusions that can be the basis for prevention
      programs. What after all can be inferred from these previous studies is that injuries related
      to overuse seems to be most prevalent. Prospective studies are therefore needed to be able to
      plan and carry out measures to prevent the occurrence of injuries. We intend to carry out an
      intervention study among athletics youths aged 12-15 years. Before this is carried out, the
      investigators need to have adequate knowledge of the study population for the effective
      implementation of the intervention study.

      The overall aim of the project KLUB is to study the prevalence and incidence of injuries
      among athletics youths aged 12-15 years. A particular focus will be placed on identifying
      factors associated with injury occurrence. The knowledge obtained will be used to allow for
      injury prevention in the future.
    

Intervention name(s): Injuries in Swedish Youth Athletics. The KLUB-study.
Intervention type(s): Other
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        The study is based on a total population design, athletes aged 12-15 years, who regularly
        participate in organized athletics training in selected clubs (all reachable participants
        will be invited).
      
Keywords: Prospective; Epidemiology; Track and Field