Clinical trial NCT06637241: Risk Stratification Care for Injury Prevention in Taiwan Adolescent Baseball Players
Official title: Compare the Effectiveness of Injury Prevention Between Risk Stratification Care and Usual Care in Taiwan Adolescent Baseball Players: a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Adolescent Baseball Players
Keywords: Throwing arm injury
Stratified care for injury risk
Long term follow up
Health-related quality of care
Lead sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-10-15
Enrollment: 636
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 12
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Due to frequent practices and competitions, Taiwanese adolescent baseball players gradually accumulate fatigue, leading to injuries in their throwing arms. Previous research on baseball has primarily focused on the epidemiology of sports injuries, biomechanical analysis of throwing motions, and the effectiveness of injury prevention interventions. Based on our previous research on the quality of life of Taiwanese adolescent baseball players, we have gained a general understanding of the impact of throwing arm injuries on these athletes. This study aims to stratify the injury risks of these baseball players based on past research and provide corresponding care guidelines according to different risk levels. We will compare this care model with standard care through a cluster randomized controlled trial, aiming to verify that this model is effective, efficient, and more clinically applicable than previous injury prevention interventions. Ultimately, we hope to promote this care model across all youth baseball teams in Taiwan.

Detailed description: Baseball involves repetitive throwing motions that place considerable stress on the shoulder and elbow, leading to throwing arm injuries. Previous studies have shown that baseball players are at a higher risk of upper limb injuries compared to the general population, particularly pitchers. In Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, more than half of the injuries are to the upper limbs, and 48.4% of these are caused by throwing motions. Since throwing is a crucial part of baseball, injuries to the throwing arm can result in significant disability, both in sports and non-sports contexts. These disabilities not only affect the performance of baseball players but also have broader implications, including psychological and social impacts.

Recently, the importance of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in clinical research has been increasingly recognized. In the past, clinical assessments focused primarily on physician evaluations of physical examinations and diagnostic test results. However, these measures may not accurately reflect patients\&amp;#39; actual experiences. PROs can help physicians assess patients\&amp;#39; health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This concept has also started to gain traction in the field of sports medicine.

Taiwanese adolescent baseball players face varying degrees of injury risk based on their defensive positions. In addition, measuring HRQOL may help identify injury risks that cannot be determined solely by their defensive positions. For high-risk baseball players, early referral to a physician for further examination and treatment can greatly aid in preventing injuries or facilitating recovery and return to the field after an injury. To identify high-risk individuals among a group of baseball players, our research team has collaborated with several junior high and high school baseball teams in Kaohsiung (including seven junior high schools and one high school).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. All youths who are members of their school's baseball team and are willing to participate in the study with parental consent.
2. Agree to participate in the trial and complete the participant consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

(1) A history of significant musculoskeletal or neurological injuries (or functional abnormalities).

Primary outcomes:
measure: Quality of life
timeFrame: From enrollment to the end of study at 12 months.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Injury
timeFrame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 12 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Kaohsiung
country: Taiwan
facility: Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Study officials:
References: