Implementing a School Prevention Program to Reduce Injuries Through Neuromuscular Training (iSPRINT)

Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Athletic Injuries; Sport Injury; Adolescent; Wounds and Injuries; Sports Injuries in Children

Treatments: Other: Neuromuscular training program; Other: Standard-of-practice Warm-up (Control)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03312504

REB14-0470

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a neuromuscular training program in decreasing sport and recreational injuries and improving healthy outcomes in junior high school students (grades 7 to 9). The neuromuscular training program is implemented as a 15-minute warm-up at the beginning of the students' physical education classes over a three-month period. This study is a randomized controlled trial design, involving twelve schools over a three-year period. Upon enrolment into the study, schools are randomly assigned to the intervention (neuromuscular training) group, or the control group. The control group includes a standard-of practice warm-up consisting of aerobic components and static stretching.

A study athletic therapist visits the schools each week to assess and record information on any injuries sustained by study participants. Baseline health and physical fitness is measured at baseline, and again at 3-month follow-up in study participants to assess changes over the course of the program.

Enrollment: 1,067 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 11 to 15 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

SCHOOLS

• junior high schools with a minimum of two physical education classes per week, per class
• physical education classes that are taught or co-taught by a physical education specialist

SUBJECTS

• students aged 11-15 who are fully participating in physical education curriculum at baseline
• students who return completed assent and parental consent forms

Exclusion criteria

SCHOOLS

• schools that are culturally distinct
• schools that have students that are of single sex
• schools that cater to students with special needs
• schools with incomplete grades

SUBJECTS

• history of musculoskeletal disorders or medical condition that prevents participation in regular physical education curriculum
• history of musculoskeletal injury within 6 weeks prior to study commencement that restricts full participation in physical education
• at least 80% of participation in physical education classes over the course of the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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1,067 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Neuromuscular Training Warm-up

Experimental group

Description:

Schools randomized to the intervention arm receive a workshop outlining a neuromuscular training program to be used as a warm-up for 15 minutes at the beginning of each physical education class. The warm-up consist of high-intensity aerobic, strengthening, agility, plyometric, and balance components. The workshop is designed to last two hours, and includes a video outlining the warm-up components, practice time, and group discussions for action planning to address potential barriers to the program.

Treatment:

Other: Neuromuscular training program

Control Standard-of-practice Warm-up

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Schools randomized to the control arm receive a workshop outlining a standard-of-practice program to be used as a warm-up for 15 minutes at the beginning of each physical education class. The warm-up consists of aerobic exercises and static stretching. The workshop is designed to last one hour, and includes an explanation and demonstration of the exercises, but no video or practice time.

Treatment:

Other: Standard-of-practice Warm-up (Control)