Making Football Safer for Women: Implementing an Injury Prevention Program (Prep-to-Play)

La Trobe University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Musculoskeletal Injury; Concussion, Brain

Treatments: Other: Peer support; Other: Educational materials; Other: Coaching

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04856241

P2P NHMRC 1193733

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to determine how we can best support coaches to implement an injury prevention (IP) program (Prep-to-Play) in female community Australian Football. We will recruit at least 140 female community football teams from 15 different football leagues in Victoria, Australia. Teams will be competing in U16, U17, U18, U19 or open womens competitions. We will train and support coaches to implement the IP program and evaluate the effects of the IP program on injuries across two football seasons.

Full description

Primary Aim: To compare the impact of supported and unsupported implementation strategies on the use of an IP program (Prep-to-Play) in female community Australian Football.

Secondary aims are to:

1. Evaluate the effects of supported implementation of Prep-to-Play on injury risk reduction.
2. Identify barriers and enablers to sustainability of the Prep-to-Play implementation model, and develop clear recommendations for a future, sustainable national roll out of Prep-to-Play.
3. Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Prep-to-Play.

Primary hypothesis

The primary hypothesis is that supported implementation will result in increased use of Prep-to-Play in female community Australian Football compared to unsupported implementation.

Secondary hypotheses

The secondary hypotheses are that the supported implementation of Prep-to-Play will:

• result in a reduction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in females participating in community Australian Football;
• result in a reduction of other musculoskeletal injuries and concussion among females participating in community Australian Football;
• be more cost-effective than the unsupported implementation.

Enrollment: 2,600 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 14+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Coach consents to be trained and to implement Prep-to-Play
• Team includes players aged 13 years and above registered to play community football
• The team trains at least once per week in addition to match-play
• Coach has at least Level I coach accreditation (or enrolled to be accredited in 2021)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to understand written English
• Players aged less than 13 years

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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2,600 participants in 2 patient groups

Supported Implementation (Intervention)

Experimental group

Description:

Our supported implementation approach is designed to improve uptake of Prep-to-Play. The Prep-to-Play program consists of four components: dynamic warm-up, strength training, football fundamentals, and education. At the start of the intervention period, Prep-to-Play Physiotherapists will conduct a 3-hour workshop for coaches and influential players. Ongoing support will be provided via a range of strategies. Prep-to-Play Physiotherapists will attend training (two times) during and immediately post implementation to provide coaches with support (feedback on missing components, player technique, questions). Monthly Coaches Shed; Online drop-in session with education component to meet other coaches (peer support \& networking) and ask questions. Refresher workshops will be run in pre-season 2022 for the teams who have received the intervention in 2021.

Treatment:

Other: Peer support

Other: Educational materials

Other: Coaching

Unsupported implementation (Control)

Active Comparator group

Description:

The unsupported implementation arm will be "usual care". Access to the Prep-to-Play resources, including videos, downloadable manuals and posters, are freely available to coaches online. The online resources incorporate the same four concepts as described in the supported implementation - dynamic warm-up, strength exercises, football fundamentals, and education. In the control arm, no additional resources, education, or support will be provided.

Treatment:

Other: Educational materials