Sport specialization during adolescent years and chronic injury rates: A correlational study

• Main Author: Kilmer, Carissa Jo
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Health sciences
• ISBN: 9781321716405; 1321716400

Context: Adolescents are not only participating in sports earlier and more frequently, but specializing in sport earlier as well. Data has been gathered demonstrating increased injury rates amongst adolescents, but there is scarce data on causative factors related to increased injury rates. There needs to be a better understanding of the prevalence, incidence, and economic impact of injuries amongst pediatric athletes in the United States. The growing number of youth athletes specializing in sport is a very large at-risk population worthy of improved surveillance by clinicians and researchers. Objective: This study attempts to correlate sport specialization during adolescent years (6-18 years old) and chronic injury rates. Design and Setting: The design of this study was a correlational survey study. The setting of this study was The College of St. Scholastica. Subjects: Thirteen subjects ranging in age from 18-22 years old with a mean age of 18.46 years old. Of the thirteen subjects, eleven of them were female and two were male. Results: Results found through running the Phi coefficient were not significant. Therefore, we concluded that we did not have evidence from this sample that chronic injury is different in sport specializing population versus non-sport specializing population. Conclusion: Although, results were not found to be significant in this study, there is plenty of research indicating a need for continued surveillance related to sport specialization during adolescent years and chronic injury rates by clinicians and researchers. Recommendations and guidelines are included in this study to try and maintain a safe and healthy sports environment for youth.