On Tuesday, September 21st, Sander Bliekendaal will defend his PhD. Thesis. WHO STAYS FIT? Incidence, aetiology, and prevention of sports injuries in physical education teacher education students. A wonderful collaboration between our group and Janine Stubbe; professor of Performing Arts Medicine at Codarts Rotterdam.
His defence is public and can be joined through … http://www.youtube.com/VUBeadlesOffice (Tuesday, September 21st. 13.45 - 15.00 CET).
Summary
This thesis's goal was to develop knowledge on the incidence, characteristics, aetiology, mechanisms, and prevention of injuries in Dutch physical education teacher education (PETE) students. Such knowledge is essential to the PETE community for several reasons. First, because of the physically intense PETE program, students are at high risk for sustaining injuries and need to learn how to prevent injuries during their academic careers. Second, because of future professional involvement in sports, PETE students have responsibilities to prevent pupils' injuries and become expert injury, prevention practitioners. Third, the PETE's teachers and curriculum managers are responsible for the PETE program and its injury prevention policy. They need to know the specific features of the PETE students' injuries to make well-informed decisions about injury prevention. However, little is known about injuries and injury prevention in PETE students, as only one PETE injury prevention intervention is described and evaluated in the literature. Although this study provided a feasible preventive strategy tailored to Belgium PETE students, this intervention was limited in reducing incidence rates. Thus, there remains an ongoing challenge for developing and implementing successful preventive strategies in the PETE population.
Therefore, the following research questions were formulated:
1) What is the incidence of injuries in PETE students?
2) What are the characteristics and mechanisms of injuries in PETE students?
3) Which factors are associated with the development of injuries in PETE students?
4) What measures could be introduced for injury prevention in PETE students?
To answer the research questions, a longitudinal study, including multiple cohorts and a qualitative study, was conducted. These studies form the basis for this thesis. The findings indicated relatively high injury incidence rates. Most injuries involved the lower extremities, and most commonly occur during curricular practices (i.e., gymnastics) and extra-curricular games (i.e., soccer). The most common injuries involved the ankle, lower leg (e.g., MTSS), and knee. Factors associated with increased likelihood for injury were: decreased dynamic balance (males only), increased BMI, injury history, and sex (female). The primary injury mechanism was gradual onset non-contact. The main mechanisms for acute injuries differed between practices (sudden onset non-contact) and extra-curricular games (contact with a person). Acute injuries were most associated with landings, falls, and explosive movements. Given the students, injuries are a threat to academic success. Hence, they embrace the need for prevention. PETE students approached injury prevention in a multifaceted and dynamic way and applied various preventive strategies within their daily sporting routines. Their main strategy was to balance load and recovery. To successfully apply preventive strategies, PETE students need to communicate with their stakeholders (e.g., PETE teachers, sports trainers), learn what works for them, be good at self-management, share responsibilities, and acquire social support. Academic success and protection of the body were the main motives to stay fit and prevent injuries. The students themselves suggested that injury prevention can be improved, mainly by improving load management (e.g., schedules) and injury prevention education.
This thesis encourages further research and further development of injury prevention in PETE students. It is recommended to work forward on developing a multifactorial preventive strategy, including safety aspects in sport classes, improving load management (e.g., schedules), screening, injury prevention education, and neuromuscular training.
Works Published Out Of This Thesis
Bliekendaal, S., Moen, M., Fokker, Y., Stubbe, J. H., Twisk, J., & Verhagen, E. (2018). Incidence and risk factors of medial tibial stress syndrome: a prospective study in Physical Education Teacher Education students. BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 4(1).
Bliekendaal, S., Goossens, L., & Stubbe, J. H. (2017). Incidence and risk factors of injuries and their impact on academic success: A prospective study in PETE students. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 27(12), 1978-1985.
Bliekendaal, S., Stubbe, J., Verhagen, E. (2019). Dynamic balance and ankle injury odds: a prospective study in 196 Dutch physical education teacher education students. BMJ Open. 9(12).
Bliekendaal, S., Barendrecht, M., Stubbe, J., Verhagen, E. (2021). Mechanisms of sport-related injuries: a descriptive analysis of 896 injuries in Dutch physical education teacher education students. Translational Sports Medicine. 00:1-10.