An Injury Prevention Programme in Physical Education Teacher Education Students: Process Evaluation Using the RE-AIM Sports Setting Matrix

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an injury prevention programme for Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students, consisting of an injury awareness module and implementing prevention strategies during intracurricular lessons. Participants from four PETE programmes formed the intervention group (n = 4 programme directors, n = 38 sports lecturers, n = 859 students), while those from four other programmes were the controls (n = 4 programme directors, n = 34 sports lecturers, n = 721 students). Programme directors and sports lecturers received a three-hour workshop on sports injury prevention. The feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention were evaluated following the RE-AIM Sports Setting Matrix. Reach, adoption, and implementation of the prevention strategies were high, but implementation of the awareness module was moderate, ranging from 25% to 75%. Maintenance in terms of intentions ranged from 25% to 75% for aspects of the awareness module and averaged 68% for the prevention strategies. Significantly more static stretching (p=0.029), dynamic stabilisation (p<0.001), and core stability (p=0.001) were implemented in the intervention group compared to the control group. Injury prevention behaviour and knowledge in students did not increase after the intervention. In conclusion, moderate feasibility of an injury prevention intervention for PETE students was found. Sports lecturers implemented prevention strategies in their lessons frequently, but future interventions should develop more dissemination initiatives.