An Examination of Sports Injury Prevention Awareness Among Adolescent and Adult Basketball Players

Abstract

Purpose: Awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding sports injuries play a crucial role in the prevention of such injuries. In our study, we aimed to examine the awareness of injury prevention among adolescent and adult basketball players. Method: Awareness of sports injury prevention was assessed using the Sports Injury Prevention Awareness Scale, which was created via Google Forms. The Sports Injury Prevention Awareness Scale consists of 18 items and 4 factors (health status, environmental factors and equipment, exercise session, exercise program). Results: This study was conducted on 107 basketball players aged 13 to 48 years. Fifty-eight of the basketball players were adolescents (aged 13–19), while forty-nine were adults (aged 20–48). A statistically significant difference was observed between adolescents and adults in total score (<0.001), health status score (<0.001), environmental factors and equipment score (<0.001), exercise session score (<0.001), and exercise program score (0.021) sub parameters. The median values for total scores and all sub parameters were found to be higher in adults compared to adolescents. Discussion: The main finding of this study is that the injury prevention awareness levels differ between adolescent and adult basketball players, with adults demonstrating a higher level of awareness compared to adolescents. Considering that sports injuries are commonly observed in many athletes starting from adolescence, it is crucial to increase awareness of sports injury prevention and implement educational programs accordingly. Additionally, it is important to assess the extent to which the theoretical knowledge provided in these educational programs is practically applied by the athletes.

Keywords

• Awareness
• Youth Sports
• injury prevention
• sport injuries

Ethical Statement

Before starting the study, written approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Sakarya University of Applied Sciences (approval date: 17.01.2025, decision no: 52/37).

References

1. 1. Minghelli B, Queiroz S, Sousa I, Trajano J, Graça S, Silva V. Musculoskeletal injuries in basketball players Southern Portugal: Epidemiology and risk factors. North Clin Istanb. 2022;9(1):14-22.
2. 2. Vanderlei FM, Bastos FN, de Lemes IR, Vanderlei LC, Júnior JN, Pastre CM. Sports injuries among adolescent basketball players according to position on the court. Int Arch Med. 2013;6(1):5.
3. 3. Trojian TH, Cracco A, Hall M, Mascaro M, Aerni G, Ragle R. Basketball injuries: caring for a basketball team. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2013;12(5):321-8.
4. 4. Andreoli CV, Chiaramonti BC, Buriel E, Pochini AC, Ejnisman B, Cohen M. Epidemiology of sports injuries in basketball: integrative systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000468.
5. 5. Khan M, Madden K, Burrus MT, Rogowski JP, Stotts J, Samani MJ, et al. Epidemiology and Impact on Performance of Lower Extremity Stress Injuries in Professional Basketball Players. Sports Health. 2018;10(2):169-74.
6. 6. Bel L, Duc M, Bizzini M, Fournier PE, Allet L. Context of injury prevention strategies in Swiss basketball: survey of athletes, medical staff and coaches. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2022;8(4):e001386.
7. 7. E W, Yu Q, Guo H. Sports Medicine Image Modeling for Injury Prevention in Basketball Training. Contrast Media Mol Imaging. 2022;2022:5742543.
8. 8. Zuckerman SL, Wegner AM, Roos KG, Djoko A, Dompier TP, Kerr ZY. Injuries sustained in National Collegiate Athletic Association men's and women's basketball, 2009/2010-2014/2015. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(4):261-8.

9. 9. Adirim TA, Cheng TL. Overview of injuries in the young athlete. Sports Med. 2003;33(1):75-81.
10. 10. Burt CW, Overpeck MD. Emergency visits for sports-related injuries. Ann Emerg Med. 2001;37(3):301-8.
11. 11. Habelt S, Hasler CC, Steinbrück K, Majewski M. Sport injuries in adolescents. Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2011;3(2):e18.
12. 12. Al-Qahtani MA, Allajhar MA, Alzahrani AA, Asiri MA, Alsalem AF, Alshahrani SA, et al. Sports-Related Injuries in Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2023;15(11):e49392.
13. 13. Tischer T, Martens G, Cabri J, Thoreux P, Tscholl P, Edouard P, et al. The awareness of injury prevention programmes is insufficient among French- and German-speaking sports medicine communities in Europe. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2023;31(7):2563-71.
14. 14. Barden C, Hancock MV, Stokes KA, Roberts SP, McKay CD. Effectiveness of the Activate injury prevention exercise programme to prevent injury in schoolboy rugby union. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(14):812-7.
15. 15. Crossley KM, Patterson BE, Culvenor AG, Bruder AM, Mosler AB, Mentiplay BF. Making football safer for women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of injury prevention programmes in 11 773 female football (soccer) players. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(18):1089-98.
16. 16. Lemes IR, Pinto RZ, Lage VN, Roch BAB, Verhagen E, Bolling C, et al. Do exercise-based prevention programmes reduce non-contact musculoskeletal injuries in football (soccer)? A systematic review and meta-analysis with 13 355 athletes and more than 1 million exposure hours. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(20):1170-8.
17. 17. van Dyk N, Behan FP, Whiteley R. Including the Nordic hamstring exercise in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 8459 athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;53(21):1362.
18. 18. Sadigursky D, Braid JA, De Lira DNL, Machado BAB, Carneiro RJF, Colavolpe PO. The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program for soccer players: a systematic review. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2017;9:18.
19. 19. Mercurio M, Carlisi G, Ostojic M, Imbrogno A, Galasso O, Gasparini G. The Protective Role of the FIFA 11+ Training Program on the Valgus Loading of the Knee in Academy Soccer Players Across a Season. Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(1).
20. 20. Althomali OW, Ibrahim AA, Algharbi AF, Alshammari SS, Alajlan SN, Albaqawi JA, et al. The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program reduces the incidence of lower extremity injuries in football players: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2025;65(1):117-24.
21. 21. Nunes H, Fernandes LG, Martins PN, Ferreira RM. The Effects of Nordic Hamstring Exercise on Performance and Injury in the Lower Extremities: An Umbrella Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(15).
22. 22. Myklebust G, Engebretsen L, Braekken IH, Skjølberg A, Olsen OE, Bahr R. Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female team handball players: a prospective intervention study over three seasons. Clin J Sport Med. 2003;13(2):71-8.
23. 23. Emery CA, Owoeye OBA, Räisänen AM, Befus K, Hubkarao T, Palacios-Derflingher L, et al. The "SHRed Injuries Basketball" Neuromuscular Training Warm-up Program Reduces Ankle and Knee Injury Rates by 36% in Youth Basketball. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2022;52(1):40-8.
24. 24. Kolstad AT, Eliason PH, Galarneau JM, Black AM, Hagel BE, Emery CA. Protective equipment in youth ice hockey: are mouthguards and helmet age relevant to concussion risk? Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(10):571-7.
25. 25. Vriend I, Gouttebarge V, Finch CF, van Mechelen W, Verhagen E. Intervention Strategies Used in Sport Injury Prevention Studies: A Systematic Review Identifying Studies Applying the Haddon Matrix. Sports Med. 2017;47(10):2027-43.
26. 26. Visnes H, Bahr R. Training volume and body composition as risk factors for developing jumper's knee among young elite volleyball players. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013;23(5):607-13.
27. 27. Huang Y, Wang S, Li C, Wang Y, Bai Z, Lv B, et al. Investigating the effects of previous injury on subsequent training loads, physical fitness, and injuries in youth female basketball players. Front Physiol. 2025;16:1506611.
28. 28. Bahr R, Thorborg K, Ekstrand J. Evidence-based hamstring injury prevention is not adopted by the majority of Champions League or Norwegian Premier League football teams: the Nordic Hamstring survey. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(22):1466-71.
29. 29. van Reijen M, Vriend I, van Mechelen W, Finch CF, Verhagen EA. Compliance with Sport Injury Prevention Interventions in Randomised Controlled Trials: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2016;46(8):1125-39.
30. 30. Lutter C, Seil R, Best R, Gokeler A, Patt T, Krutsch W, et al. Results of a tri-national online survey on the current status of sports injury prevention among members of the German-Speaking Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Society (GOTS). Sportverletz Sportschaden. 2021;35(2):80-7.
31. 31. Tanaka MJ, Jones LC, Forman JM. Awareness of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury-Preventive Training Programs Among Female Collegiate Athletes. J Athl Train. 2020;55(4):359-64.
32. 32. Martinez JC, Mazerolle SM, Denegar CR, Joseph MF, Pagnotta KD, Trojian TH, et al. Female adolescent athletes' attitudes and perspectives on injury prevention programs. J Sci Med Sport. 2017;20(2):146-51.
33. 33. Sewry N, Verhagen E, Lambert M, van Mechelen W, Brown J. Players' and coaches' knowledge and awareness of the BokSmart Safe Six injury prevention programme: an ecological cross-sectional questionnaire study. BMJ Open. 2017;7(11):e018575.
34. 34. Ercan S, Önal Ö. Development, validity and reliability of the Sports Injury Prevention Awareness Scale. Spor Hekimliği Dergisi. 2021;56(3):138-45.
35. 35. Celik O, Celik GE, Kilinc BE, Harput G. Knowledge and awareness of anterior cruciate ligament injury among Turkish professional athletes: an online survey. Res Sports Med. 2024;32(5):787-803.
36. 36. Post EG, Rosenthal MD, Root HJ, Rauh MJ. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Parents of Youth Basketball Players Regarding Sport Specialization and College Scholarship Availability. Orthop J Sports Med. 2021;9(8):23259671211024594.
37. 37. Brooks MA, Post EG, Trigsted SM, Schaefer DA, Wichman DM, Watson AM, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Youth Club Athletes Toward Sport Specialization and Sport Participation. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5):2325967118769836.
38. 38. Kalkhoven JT. Athletic Injury Research: Frameworks, Models and the Need for Causal Knowledge. Sports Med. 2024;54(5):1121-37.
39. 39. Mandorino M, Figueiredo AJ, Gjaka M, Tessitore A. Injury incidence and risk factors in youth soccer players: a systematic literature review. Part II: Intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. Biol Sport. 2023;40(1):27-49.
40. 40. Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, van der Doelen BFW, van den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, et al. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.
41. 41. Tyler TF, McHugh MP, Mirabella MR, Mullaney MJ, Nicholas SJ. Risk factors for noncontact ankle sprains in high school football players: the role of previous ankle sprains and body mass index. Am J Sports Med. 2006;34(3):471-5.
42. 42. Gribble PA, Terada M, Beard MQ, Kosik KB, Lepley AS, McCann RS, et al. Prediction of Lateral Ankle Sprains in Football Players Based on Clinical Tests and Body Mass Index. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(2):460-7.
43. 43. Crotti M, Heering T, Lander N, Fox A, Barnett LM, Duncan MJ. Extrinsic Risk Factors for Primary Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Adolescents Aged between 14 and 18 years: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2024;54(4):875-94.
44. 44. Pfeifer CE, Beattie PF, Sacko RS, Hand A. RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-CONTACT ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018;13(4):575-87.
45. 45. Miranda-Comas G, Zaman N, Ramin J, Gluck A. The Role of Workload Management in Injury Prevention, Athletic, and Academic Performance in the Student-Athlete. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2022;21(6):186-91.
46. 46. Yin L, Deng J, Ju Q, Fu X. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding anterior cruciate ligament injuries among the youth. Journal of Tissue Viability. 2025;34(2):100866.
47. 47. Rees H, Matthews J, McCarthy Persson U, Delahunt E, Boreham C, Blake C. The knowledge and attitudes of field hockey athletes to injury, injury reporting and injury prevention: A qualitative study. J Sci Med Sport. 2022;25(10):820-7.
48. 48. Bell DR, Post EG, Trigsted SM, Hetzel S, McGuine TA, Brooks MA. Prevalence of Sport Specialization in High School Athletics: A 1-Year Observational Study. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(6):1469-74.
49. 49. Hall R, Barber Foss K, Hewett TE, Myer GD. Sport specialization's association with an increased risk of developing anterior knee pain in adolescent female athletes. J Sport Rehabil. 2015;24(1):31-5.
50. 50. McGuine TA, Post EG, Hetzel SJ, Brooks MA, Trigsted S, Bell DR. A Prospective Study on the Effect of Sport Specialization on Lower Extremity Injury Rates in High School Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017;45(12):2706-12.
51. 51. Post EG, Bell DR, Trigsted SM, Pfaller AY, Hetzel SJ, Brooks MA, et al. Association of Competition Volume, Club Sports, and Sport Specialization With Sex and Lower Extremity Injury History in High School Athletes. Sports Health. 2017;9(6):518-23.
52. 52. Zorlu I, Gülcan H, Açikgöz B, Ayoğlu FN. Diş Hekimlerinde Kas-İskelet Sistemi Rahatsızlıkları ve Etkileyen Faktörler. Turkiye Klinikleri Dishekimligi Bilimleri Dergisi. 2021;27(4):531-8.