Safety in sports development of practical guidelines for injury prevention and safety promotion in sports

Abstract

Sport is an important cultural element and one of the most widespread activities. In this context, there is a global consensus that health protection and health promotion are important potentials of sport. It has to be taken into consideration that about 20% of all injuries due to accidents resulting from sporting activities. In particular with regard to popular sports, the benefit for health could be increased by reducing the frequency of sports injuries. Thus, the general aim of the project, which receives funding from the European Commission, is to contribute to the reduction of sports injuries by developing, testing and implementing injury prevention measures and safety promotion strategies for sports with absolute high numbers of participants and injuries.On the basis of an up-to-date inventory, a consensus on best injury prevention measures and implementation strategies for handball and basketball was built, using a newly developed methodology of a web-based evaluation tool combined with successive expert consultation meetings. Prevention toolkits have been elaborated consisting of media and information to convey preventive contents to stakeholders and target groups in the handball and basketball community. In collaboration with the EHF (European Handball Federation) and the FIBA Europe (Federation Internationale de Basketball) these toolkits will be pilot-tested in two national associations, respectively (Handball: Norway, Czech Republic; Basketball: Sweden, Slovakia) with special focus on acceptance and applicability.In the light of the test implementation, general guidelines will be elaborated on how to develop, implement and sustain safety management schemes in other sports.