BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal injuries are common in adolescents, and recently schools have been suggested as an
opportune location for injury prevention strategies. This study aimed to identify the current practices and perceptions of
post-primary PE teachers in Ireland on injury prevention exercise programs (IPEP), which are key to informing potential
implementation strategies.
METHODS: Post-primary PE teachers (n = 287) completed an online anonymous survey. Outcome measures included current
IPEP practices in PE class, teachers’ attitudes toward IPEPs, willingness to implement, and perceived ability to implement an
IPEP in PE class. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare differences between
groups.
RESULTS: Results indicated that only 1 in 5 PE teachers currently used an IPEP in class. Of these, no teacher used an existing
IPEP exactly as intended, while most teachers were willing to implement an IPEP (80.5%). Those who previously received formal
IPEP education or were aware of an existing IPEP had significantly higher perceived ability to implement an IPEP in class
(p<.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that despite a willingness among PE teachers to implement IPEPs in class, few
currently do. Thus, post-primary PE class may be an under-utilized setting for adolescent injury prevention and warrants further
investigation.
Metadata
Item Type:
Article (Published)
Refereed:
Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Physical Education; Injury Prevention; PE Teachers