Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Warm-up Knowledge, Level of Practice and its Correlation with Injury Prevalence in College Athletes


Affiliations
1 Department of Physiotherapy, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of warm-up among athletes and, find out the relationship between warm-up and injury prevalence. Warm-up is a widely accepted practice and is universally performed as efficient tool to improve physical performance in sports and athletic events. Young athletes often do not warm-up adequately and run the risk of injury. This could be attributed to a low level of knowledge about the importance of warm-up. Adequate knowledge of the potential benefits of warm-up and a positive attitude towards it can aid the minimization of sports related injuries and encourage student athletes to adopt structured programs that would improve performance.

Methods: A cross sectional survey included 250 athletes from non-medical colleges within the age group 15 to 25 years who had participated in athletics and sports at different levels of competition. Participants completed a questionnaire, the data of which were analyzed.

Results: Study findings showed that most of the athletes (68.4%) showed moderate knowledge of warm-up while majority (71.2%) exhibited excellent practice of warm-up. Injury prevalence reported as 71.2% among the participants. There was no correlation between knowledge and injury prevalence (χ²=5.03, p=0.388, NS) as well as level of practice and injury prevalence (χ²=6.43, p=0.109, NS).

Conclusions: While adequate knowledge and practice of warm-up may not lessen the incidence of injury, further investigation into the practice of warm-up specific to activity is required to draw more comprehensive conclusions.


Keywords

Warm-up, Knowledge, Injury Prevalence
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Fradkin AJ, Sherman CA, Finc CF. Improving golf performance with a warm up conditioning programme. Br J Sports Med. 2004 Dec;38(6): 762-765.
  • Bishop D. Warm up I: potential mechanisms and the effects of passive warm up on exercise performance. Sports Med. 2003;33(6):439-54.
  • Reisman S, Walsh LD, Proske U. Warm-up stretches reduce sensations of stiffness and soreness after eccentric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Jun;37(6):929-36.
  • Gray SC, Devito G, Nimmo MA. Effect of active warm-up on metabolism prior to and during intense dynamic exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Dec;34(12):2091-6.
  • Woods K, Bishop P, Jones E. Warm-up and stretching in the prevention of muscular injury. Sports Med. 2007;37(12):1089-99.
  • Knight CA, Rutledge CR, Cox ME, Acosta M, Hall SJ. Effect of superficial heat, deep heat, and active exercise warm-up on the extensibility of the plantar flexors. Phys Ther. 2001 Jun;81(6): 1206-1214.
  • Bartlett MJ, Warren PJ. Effect of warming up on knee proprioception before sporting activity. Br J Sports Med. 2002 Apr;36(2):132-4.
  • Vandervoort AA. Potential benefits of warm-up for neuromuscular performance of older athletes. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2009 Apr;37(2):60-5.
  • Volianitis S, McConnell AK, Koutedakis Y, Jones DA. Specific respiratory warm-up improves rowing performance and exertional dyspnea. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Jul;33( 7):1189-93.
  • Hajoglou A, Foster C, De Koning JJ, Lucia A, Kernozek TW, Porcari JP. Effect of warm-up on cycle time trial performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Sep;37(9):1608-14.
  • Law RY, Herbert RD. Warm-up reduces delayed onset muscle soreness but cool-down does not: a randomised controlled trial. Aust J Physiother. 2007;53(2):91-95.
  • Olsen OE, Myklebust G, Engebretsen L, Holme I, Bahr R. Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2005 Feb 26;330(7489):449. Epub 2005 Feb 7.
  • Soligard T, Myklebust G, Steffen K, Holme I, Silvers H, Bizzini M, Junge A, Dvorak J, Bahr R, Andersen TE. Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2008 Dec 9;337: a2469. doi: 10.1136/ bmj.a2469.
  • Bishop D. Warm up II: performance changes following active warm up and how to structure the warm up. Sports Med. 2003a; 33(7):483-98.
  • van Mechelen W, Hlobil H, Kemper HC, Voorn WJ, de Jongh HR. Prevention of running injuries by warm-up, cool-down, and stretching exercises. Am J Sports Med. 1993 Sep-Oct;21(5):711-9.
  • Hawley JA, Williams MM, Hamling GC, Walsh RM. Effects of a task-specific warm-up on anaerobic power. Br J Sports Med. 1989 Dec;23(4):233-236.

Abstract Views: 447

PDF Views: 0




  • Warm-up Knowledge, Level of Practice and its Correlation with Injury Prevalence in College Athletes

Abstract Views: 447  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Melissa Teresa Romer
Department of Physiotherapy, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, India
R. Kanagaraj
Department of Physiotherapy, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, India
V. V. Jidesh
Department of Physiotherapy, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, India

Abstract


Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of warm-up among athletes and, find out the relationship between warm-up and injury prevalence. Warm-up is a widely accepted practice and is universally performed as efficient tool to improve physical performance in sports and athletic events. Young athletes often do not warm-up adequately and run the risk of injury. This could be attributed to a low level of knowledge about the importance of warm-up. Adequate knowledge of the potential benefits of warm-up and a positive attitude towards it can aid the minimization of sports related injuries and encourage student athletes to adopt structured programs that would improve performance.

Methods: A cross sectional survey included 250 athletes from non-medical colleges within the age group 15 to 25 years who had participated in athletics and sports at different levels of competition. Participants completed a questionnaire, the data of which were analyzed.

Results: Study findings showed that most of the athletes (68.4%) showed moderate knowledge of warm-up while majority (71.2%) exhibited excellent practice of warm-up. Injury prevalence reported as 71.2% among the participants. There was no correlation between knowledge and injury prevalence (χ²=5.03, p=0.388, NS) as well as level of practice and injury prevalence (χ²=6.43, p=0.109, NS).

Conclusions: While adequate knowledge and practice of warm-up may not lessen the incidence of injury, further investigation into the practice of warm-up specific to activity is required to draw more comprehensive conclusions.


Keywords


Warm-up, Knowledge, Injury Prevalence

References